Operation: STG
by musicsparkshope
Summary: Join Commander Kira Shepard as she saves the galaxy...again! Adventures and challenges await. Pack your sonic toothbrush and let's go! Will she assemble her team in time to deal with the galaxy's newest threat? Only time will tell.
1. Chapter 1: Shepard

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any characters depicted in any of the Mass Effect game.

AN: Alrighty folks! Welcome to my imagination. I hope you approve. So, here's the lowdown, FemShep + Liara = ovary explosions (at least for me) so I wanted more behind door scenes mixed in with my action scenes. Let me know what you think. I started by posting the first 3 chapters that I have written and edited. I'm going to try to work to get all 10 up before I start my overnights. Saving lives as a vampire veterinary technician is hard work, so if you do decide to stay the course, I'll work on getting updates out ASAP, but I can't make promises for Thursday-Saturdays (12-hour overnight shifts...aaaahhh)

Before I lose you lovely folks with my rambling, Here's Chapter 1

* * *

SHEPARD:

My team and I head back to the Normandy after another Cerberus "suggested" mission. After the debriefing, team members eat dinner and settle into their quarters. I head up to my cabin, peel off my armor, and hang it on the rack in the corner of my room. After shrugging off my combat clothing, I throw on my favorite Alliance t-shirt and get comfortable. Relief waves over my body, but it's too quiet in here.

I turn on the radio and crank up the volume.

 _MUCH BETTER_.

A smile breaks across my face and I can't help but start dancing around the room. Singing at the top of my lungs, I grab my faithful Widow, sit down with a cleaning kit and make her look as good as new. After tending to my sidearm, I slide both into my gun chest and lock it tight. A spot on my armor catches my eye and I decide that it should be cleaned and polished too. I dance my way over to the fish tank and push the auto-feed button. My pets jet after the food, diving high and low to skillfully catch the fish flakes. Peace rolls through my system and I let out a sigh. I sit down at my terminal and turn the music down to a normal level. Kelly was nice enough to tell me that I had messages on my terminal when I returned, so I figure it's time to check out my inbox.

One in particular stood out:

 **Shepard...I've forwarded information about another operative I'd like you to try to recruit for your team. The Assassin. Please see the attached Dossier. Head to Nos Astra, Illium.**

 **Illusive Man**

I pull up the attachment and find the following:

Thane Krios.

 ** _-Quick-kill biotic specialist_**

 ** _-Expert Sniper_**

 ** _Thane Krios is a drell trained from childhood as an elite assassin, proficient in both long- range and sniping kills and close infiltration._**

 ** _He has slowed his activities in recent years but it is rumored to have a target on Illium_**

***************IN THE COCKPIT*********************

"Joker! Set a course to the Horsehead Nebula, we are going to Illium." A female voice is heard resonating from the cockpit. A fair-skinned woman with short, fiery-red hair appears on a small screen on the cockpit console. Joker nods and quickly begins calculating distance, time, and current fuel levels. After minutes of typing, he looks up and confidently and says:

"We should be there by tomorrow morning, Commander!" Looking to his left, he trails off, but quickly begins again. "EDI is insisting I tell you we should arrive at approximately 1100 hours." Joker begins grumbling under his breath. I'm not able to decipher exactly what he is saying but can assume it is string of complaints about the ship's AI.

"Spend trillions of credits to bring back Shepard and rebuild the Normandy and they can't even install a damn MUTE button on the ship AI" Joker huffs and resumes watching his monitors.

"Be nice, Joker! EDI has saved our asses more than once already. Mine especially!" A chuckle escapes from my lips.

"Yes Commander." Joker returns in his best mocking voice. I reach forward to end the session but I am interrupted. Joker cracks a smile "But I feel obligated to tell you that sucking up to the ship's AI will get you nowhere"

A smile takes over my face as I end the video call with the pilot. I guess I should get back to work. Scrolling through a mess of unread messages from many different places, Michael's message catches my eye:

 **How goes it in deep space? It's been pretty lame here on Feros since we started rebuilding the colony. I can't believe you killed the giant talking plant! I envy you for seeing a green Asari! There are rumors that Shiala is actually still green. She has been on Illium arguing about a contract since before I was stationed here, so I STILL haven't seen her! What a bummer!**

 **Anyway... I got a fish to keep me company while I'm here. I haven't named him yet so I'll take any suggestions you've got. Have you heard from Steven? He hasn't answered my recent message, but boot camp doesn't always allow terminal time. I bet he's scrubbing toilets! Anywho, I should quit rambling and get some sleep...I have a whole lot of sitting and monitor-watching to do tomorrow! You envy my difficult job, and you know it!**

 **Mikey**

There is an image attached to the message. A picture of a single goldfish in a small fishbowl flies open and covered half of the screen. The pebbles are a light blue with the spectre emblem painted on a large rock. _Oh that boy._ I lower my head to stifle the laughter which causes a few hairs to fall in my face. I push them back out of my face and begin typing:

 **Deep space is dark and can be lonely, but I have a great crew at my side. I'm glad to hear you are adjusting well to Feros. We are actually in route to Nos Astra, Illium as I type this message; we have a classified mission that was just assigned. I will look for Shiala and see if I can help at all. I can be quite persuasive, being a big bad Spectre and all. I haven't heard from Steven either, I'm sure he is just being kept busy. Maybe he mouthed off and lost terminal privileges. I mean that sounds more like Steven anyway! Keep yourself awake while you watch those monitors Mikey! I'll kick your ass if that colony gets hit again because you are staring at the back of your eyelids!**

 **Kira**

 **PS just don't name that fish Saren! Maybe Mako, or Hammerhead? Also, nice tank! Poor guy may get lost or something**

After answering a few more boring messages and speaking to a few people via video chat on the terminal, a yawn escapes my mouth and my muscles ache. I stretch my arms back far in my chair and feel my shoulders loosen.

 _Oh damn, it's getting late._

When I turn to head to bed, the frame on my desk catches my eye. A smile creeps across my face. I spent a long time re-acquainting myself with the features of her beautiful face. Her expression sends warmth throughout my body but also tugs at my heart.

 _Hopefully someday…_

For now, it's time for bed. As I climb into bed, I grab the room remote and turn off the lights and crank down the thermostat. My comforter envelops me and provides some comfort for the aching in my chest. Exhaustion clouds my thoughts, threatening to take over. I happily oblige, all the while hoping to have a dreamless sleep.

 _But when does that ever happen?_

* * *

"Commander, we have a large ship heading right at us! It is acting as though it can see right through our stealth drive." Joker says frantically through my earpiece. I turn to the nearest terminal and pull up the camera feed to see a gigantic, primitive-looking ship. I wonder what the VI thinks. I tap the button on the console and am greeted by a blue sphere.

"What can you tell me about this vessel?" I ask the ship's VI. The globe briefly changes shape in recognition and begins analyzing and collecting information. A high-pitched beep is emitted from the sphere and it begins to speak…

"Vessel Unknown…" The VI responds

 _Well that's helpful..._

A siren wails overhead and the Normandy SR1 shakes, groaning in objection.

"Joker! Status report!" I yell over the siren

"Commander, we've been hit, hard! Normandy VI is still calculating exact damage and a repair report but it doesn't look promising!"

In accordance with evacuation protocols, my crew begins flooding to the escape shuttles.

 _Oh God. Where is she?!_

I frantically search through the crowd but fail to find who am looking for. I scramble past the medical bay and through the mag-doors to where her cabin is. Her empty desk is somewhat of a relief, but does not settle my stomach. On one of her terminal screens is an unfinished message sits unattended, as is left in a hurry. My throat constricts and my chest burns. Angrily I slam a fist on the desk and run back towards the shuttles.

 _Oh! There she is._

A sigh of relief involuntarily escapes my lips as my eyes meet with hers. She is escorting crew members into the evacuation bays. My heart quickens it's as my feet lead me to her. The kinetic barrier that is protecting the crew engulfs me and quickly seals behind. Her blue eyes lock on mine. She closes the distance quickly and desperately grabs my hand. A conflicted look crosses her face as she stares into my eyes. She groans loudly and frustration takes over her face:

"Joker is still on board and refuses to evacuate. We can't leave him here." Liara says calmly. Her brow creases and she holds my hand and arm tighter, bracing herself from the aftershock of the most recent attack.

"Get back to the shuttles. I'll haul Joker's crippled ass out of here." I reply sternly. Liara hesitates and tries to resist. "Liara, get out of here! Now! I need you to be safe. I need you to stay here! You have to promise me you will get in the last shuttle and go" I pause and plead

"… even if I am not here with you. I'll find a way…"

 _I NEED you to stay safe, I'd never be able to forgive myself if you waited for me and didn't make it…_

Liara nods. Her lip is quivering as a tear threatens to fall down her face. She hesitantly releases my hand, but quickly grabs my hips and pulls me close. She slides one hand through short red hair and her soft frantic lips meet mine briefly.

"You better come back to me, or... or..." Her voice drags me back to reality. Tears stream from her pained eyes. Before she can finish her thought, I pull her tighter and steal another kiss. A tear rolls down my own cheek. She releases her hand from my wrist and I take the chance to back off.

"I'll be back, I promise." I break away from the embrace, and run out of the kinetic barrier. I put on my helmet and lock it to the rest of my suit.

Mag boots activated.

 _Time to save my pilot._

I hesitate as I approach CIC. A huge hole is blown through the deck of the ship. Gravity is greatly reduced; artificial gravity is useless when the hull of the ship is missing pieces. Dark space looms above; threatening to separate me from my once-safe ship. Mag-boots are the only thing keeping me from the endless void. I cautiously continue towards the cockpit. A kinetic barrier protects Joker from floating debris.

"Come on Joker, we have to go." I tap him on the shoulder. He looks up from the console with an air-mask on.

"I'm not abandoning the Normandy! I can still save her!" He replies.

"The Normandy is gone; going down with her won't change that. Recovery is the Alliance's job, our job is getting off safely. We can replace her. We can't replace you." After a few long seconds of hesitation, Joker punches a few buttons, nods, and turns from his controls.

"Help me up?" He offers out a hand. But mid-rise he turns back to the monitors and gasps. "They are turning for another attack!" I grab him by the forearm and force him out of his chair. "Ow! Watch the arm!" He shouts as I support him. I fix my arm under his and help him walk.

"Ready to run?"

"Thanks. Although I feel that it is important for you to know that I don't run. I don't enjoy breaking bones." He cracks a smile to hide the groan that he just let out. We work our way towards the shuttles.

I hate the idea of losing my ship as much as he does, but it's not worth dying over. The massive hole in the ship proves we gotta go. Not to mention the collectors are still attacking us. We are sitting ducks.

We hobble through the kinetic barrier again and I spot a very anxious-looking Liara in the madness.

Relief overtakes over her face as her eyes meet mine. Joker easily breaks my hold and hobbles towards the remaining shuttle. He is met by Garrus who helps him through the doorway and into a seat. The Normandy begins to shake and pitch away from the shuttles as a laser cuts through the center of the ship. Liara gasps and covers her face and eyes.

"SHEPARD! NO!" She wails. Garrus yanks the Liara into the escape shuttle and hits the eject button.

The Normandy immediately dissolves into pieces; a piece of ship hull is thrown towards me. Unable to move quickly enough, the debris impacts my helmet and air starts escaping out of my suit. Panic takes over and I quickly try to reseal my helmet.

The lock is broken…. Hope escapes my mind as quickly as the air rushes out of my suit. I flail and try to figure out a solution, but come up short-handed.

Air whizzes out of the suit and my ears begin ringing. Another piece of shrapnel flies towards me and a sharp pain radiates from my abdomen. Everything begins fading dark. My entire body feels like is it being torn to shreds. I watch the Normandy disappear further and further from grasp. Tears rolls down my cheeks and I don't attempt to stop them. My lungs ache for oxygen and my heart threatens to quit.

 _This is how I die… At least my crew is safe. Liara is safe…_

 _Finally, all the feeling is gone…_

 _Darkness takes over…_

 _The ringing stops …_

 _Silence…_

* * *

AN: Sorry not sorry. Keep going though, hopefully you'll like it!

Let me know what you folks are thinking, I want to know! Be gentle, this is my first time ;). Constructive criticism is always welcome!


	2. Chapter 2: Shepard

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any characters depicted in any of the Mass Effect game. I just love them

* * *

AN: Here. We. Go...

I wake with a gasp, drenched in sweat. I frantically reach to my face for a helmet that is not there. I evaluate my surroundings and pat down my body. I am in bed. Safe. There is no suit, no helmet, no space….

I groan and roll out of bed.

 _Another damn nightmare…_

I stumble to the lit panel on the fish tank and blindly smack it until the auto-feeder kicks on.

Satisfied, I continue on and wander to the bathroom and lower myself on the toilet to relieve my aching bladder. _What time is it even?_ I search around the room and remember that there isn't actually a clock in the bathroom.

 _Damnit…. Right._

I stand back up and wash my hands at the sink. I grab a glass of water and chug it with ease. Feeling more level-headed, I head over to my terminal to check my messages.

Michael answered much quicker than I anticipated.

 _ **Yeah you wish you could kick my ass "Commander." I can't believe I have to call you that now. UGH. I mean c'mon, I've known you way too long to call you "Commander" Shepard. Anyway. Monitors were quiet today except for when a meteor viciously attacked the top of one of the big storage garages. The base was in a tizzy until we figured out what caused the big noise and the fire! Luckily it was a vacant unit and was able to be demolished pretty easily by the grounds crew.**_

 _ **Illium huh? That's impressive. Be careful though, I've heard its Omega's secretly-evil step sister. Make sure you don't sell yourself away or something. I'd hate to have to buy your kidney off of the black market or something to transplant it back to you.**_

 _ **There are rumors here that the collectors have been attacking human colonies, any truth to that? I'd just hate to be abducted in the middle of the night and forgotten about. Later "Commander"**_

 _ **Michael**_

 _ **PS: Mako was a good name. I like it!**_

I open the attachment to find a shark fin drawn on the side of Michael's new fish bowl. In the pebbles he added a new sign that reads "BEWARE: Shark Infested Waters" with a skull and crossbones. It forces me to laugh aloud and shake my head.

 _Oh that boy. What a weirdo._

I rise from my chair and head to the closet, pulling out a uniform. I ditch my Alliance shirt and change into my uniform. My stomach growls unhappily. I get into the elevator and push the button for level 3 on the panel. The doors slide open and reveal an empty mess hall. I head to the counter and grab a meal and take it to a table. Quiet footsteps approach me; I debate on ignoring them, but figure that would be rude. My eyes shift from the breakfast gruel to the blue figure before me.

"Samara, how are you?" I inquire after swallowing a mouthful of food. The gruel sticks to my throat, so I take a swig of water but begin choking. After a few whacks on the back by Samara, I am able to take a few gasps. I beat on my chest with a solid fist. Samara remains behind me rubbing my back until I am able to resume normal breathing. I wipe a tear from the side of my eye and take a few deep breaths.

"Shepard, I may be wrong, but you are not supposed to inhale your beverages." She smirks, sitting down across from the table from me. I try not to acknowledge the playful jab. I'm not really in the mood for playful banter but wouldn't mind having a friend around.

"How did you sleep last night? You look very tired." She continues. I find myself staring at the table trying to block out the nightmare I was forced to watch last night. Being reminded of your death really has a crazy way of shaking you up.

"I...uh… slept fine. I just stayed up too late again." I look up to meet Samara's gaze and find her scrunching up her face. She frowns and reaches out and touches my hand.

"I'm ok, really." I try to reassure the Asari but see that I am failing. My face must be betraying my words again. I try to recover but am clearly not doing well.

"Kira, which one was it?" I know I've been caught. "Collectors, again?" Our gazes meet for a second but I quickly break it. I nod and drop to my gaze to the table again.

"Yeah, I guess you caught me…Again. I…I'm sorry, I just hate that this happens." Green eyes plead with blue-grey ones. Samara has become a mother-figure to me especially since both of my parents are gone. Her daughters are both beyond reach, so she looks out for me. A few missions after she boarded the ship, we bonded over our mutual interests. Her centuries of knowledge allow her to comfort and advise me. There are few people that are able to use my first name, but Samara earned this right. I try to help her as well, but I know that she helps me more than I am able to reciprocate. I must be good company because she keeps inviting me to stay around. Many nights have been spent staring out of the Starboard Observation Deck talking into the dark, starry abyss.

"It is nothing to be ashamed of, dear. Combat is stressful enough on its own. Dying and being brought back, that's a whole different type of stress. You just need to find a better way to work through fears and emotions." She gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. "I would recommend meditation. It could help."

I give a brief, non-committal nod. I know she wants to help, but nothing seems to help. Medication made me foggy and almost got me killed in battle; Shrinks don't actually understand the stress of combat, they just say that they do; Meditation sounds great, but I'd actually have to turn my mind off for it to be useful, I just can't do that; and talking, well, it doesn't do much.

"I wish you'd confide more in your friends. It might help you forget the dreams and allow you to sleep better." Samara adds. "You have a whole team who cares deeply about you and your well-being." This pulls a small smile across my face. I nod. "Have you heard from your brothers lately?"

I smirk, and start describing the messages about Michael's new fish, Mako. We chat for a while longer. The deck bell goes off, waking the crew to start their day. A few minutes later, a few sleepy faces emerge from quarters and begin to line up for food. We excuse ourselves quickly from the table, dump our dishes in the bus bucket, and retreat to the elevator.

"Why don't you come back to my quarters with me and we can chat until we touch down on Illium?" Samara offers with a smile.

"Yeah, that sounds great."

We head to the Starboard Observation Deck. Samara makes a few cups of tea and we sit and chat about everything and anything until Joker announces overhead that they are approaching Illium.

"Come with me?" I plead with Samara.

"Of course. Although, I will have to stop at security to make them aware I am here. Most ports do not appreciate having an Asari Justicar running around. Planets like Illium especially hate it when I arrive." I laugh and she scrunches up her face.

"I can't imagine why. Somebody might get caught doing something illegal for once if you are around. Just promise me you won't kill somebody today, please?"

"I swore to honor your code whilst under you command Kira. It's just a formality, I assure you; I cannot break a promise."

I smile and wring my hands together at my waist, hoping she wouldn't notice. She grabs both of my hands and stands to face me. Our eyes lock for a second, I know what she is thinking, and she is absolutely right. I am not OK. After a second, she gently places a hand behind my head and gently kisses my forehead.

"I won't be far. You need only to call for me." She squeezes my hands and lets them fall to my sides.

She grabs my hand and leads me to the elevator. After what feels like an eternity listening to boring music, we arrive to our floor. Once we leave Normandy's air lock, An Asari Concierge meets us with a smile; she has a LOKI Mech on either side of her armed with SMGs.

The docking bay we arrived at wasn't huge, but it was mostly for passenger vehicles. There were a few piles storage crates around, but not the large ones containing goods. A few dock workers were wandering around with clipboards in hand. I turn my attention back to the concierge.

"Welcome to Nos Astra, Commander Shephard. We've been instructed to wave all docking and administrative fees for your visit. My name is Careena. If you need any information about the area, it would be my pleasure to assist you." The Asari says happily.

"Who instructed you to wave the fees?" I retort. Who the heck would pay for me anyway? There is a huge Cerberus insignia on the side of my ship after all.

"The order came from Liara T'Soni, who paid all landing and docking fees on your behalf." My heart skips a beat at the mention of her name.

"Ms. T'Soni also asked that I direct you to her office at your convenience. She's near the trading floor. Enjoy Nos Astra. It's an exciting city; we see a lot of new cultures and goods due to our proximity to the Terminus System. At the same time, Illium is still an asari world. You should be as safe you would be on the Citadel. For your safety, however, I recommend against signing anything." Careena replies.

"What's so dangerous about signing something?"

"Illium is a free-trade world Commander. Contract term agreements are more relaxed here than on other planets. It's a small price to pay for keeping our competitive edge on goods from the Terminus Systems." Careena responds.

"You said Liara is here. What is she doing?" I question. Careena tries to muffle a small laugh but continues.

"Liara is one of Nos Astra's most respected information brokers. Nos Astra is based upon trade. Information is valuable currency, and Liara has done quite well. As I said, you'll find her near the trading floor. She was looking forward to seeing you." I try to suppress a smile, but I quickly lose this battle. Samara catches the grin and smirks. Blood rushes to my cheeks and If I had to guess, they turned rosy red. My eyes fall to the ground.

"Well, uh… Thank you, Careena. We will get out of your way then." Careena turns to leave. "Oh, Careena! My friend here is a Justicar and needs to register with security. Who does she see for that?"

"I can let them know you are here, ma'am. I just need your name and a photo for security, they can figure out the rest." Careena replies. She turns and snaps a photo of Samara, who hands her a card with her name and contact information on it.

"Just in case you need me for anything, my name is Samara."

Careena nods and she turns away. LOKI mechs trail behind her.

We turn and cut through security, across the small courtyard to a sign that reads:

 _ADMINISTRATION_

A smile peaks out of my lips and my soul lights up. Practically running, my strides widen and my heart begins pounding. The excitement takes over and I run faster up the stairs until….

UMPH!

"Oh! Er- I'm so sorry. I didn't see you, I mean...I didn't mean to-" I offer a hand down to the Asari who is now on the floor. She quickly cuts me off, but accepts the offered hand.

"No no! I'm OK, I promise!" She quickly brushes the debris off her dress and stands up straight.

"My name is Nyxeris, I am Ms. T'Soni's assistant. You are Commander Kira Shepard I assume?" She holds out a petite blue hand to me.

"I, uh- Yes! That's me. How did you?..." I stammer but shake the asari's hand as I trail off. She giggles.

"Miss T'Soni was expecting you. See?" She turns to her desk and grabs a data pad. She cycles through her calendar and shows me the afternoon that Liara blocked off for us.

"I'm sure you can head right in! I think she was just finishing a business call. I do have to excuse myself though, I was just headed out to lunch" Nyxeris turns and heads down the stairs. I turn to Samara, anxiety taking over. Samara responds with an empathetic smile.

"It will be ok, dear. I promise." She steps closer and rubs my back consolably. This makes me feel a little calmer, but my mind still races.

 _It has been 2 years….2 years._

"I'll be right here when you are finished. I wouldn't want to interrupt your reunion with Liara." She smiles and motions towards the door.

I take a few steps towards the door and stop. The automatic door opens wide and emits a subtle beep. I can practically hear my heartbeat as it pounds in my ear.

 _It's been 2 years! What if she's moved on? What if she can't forgive me? What if..._

* * *

AN: Oops...I seem to have left you guys hanging. Don't worry, it won't be for long, I promise!


	3. Chapter 3: Liara

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own any characters depicted in any of the Mass Effect game._

 _AN: Thanks for sticking with us for this long. Seriously._

 _Chapter 3 Awaits. Time to change your perspective on things._

* * *

LIARA:

"I don't care what you want. You signed a contract and you will do well to honor it, Flak." I disconnect the call and slide down into my padded chair.

 _Goddess this day feels like it will never end._

I spin around and drop my elbows to the desk. With my head in my hands, I rub my throbbing temples. After a few minutes, I talk myself back up to lifting my head to look at my terminal. A high-priority message has come through and is flashing across the screen.

 _Huh. No signature? And the sender is blocked. Weird. I wonder who sent it._

 **Ms. T'Soni, I felt that you should know that a certain Commander, which you feel very fondly about, is headed towards Nos Astra. I hope you welcome her with open arms. The landing permit is on its way and should arrive within the hour.**

"Shepard?" Her name takes my breath away, my heart skips a beat. Flashbacks are quick to remind me of the last time I saw my beloved. The darkness threatens to curl in, but I fight it. This should be a good thing, right? I have to finish my work so I can go home. After scrolling through what seems like an endless inbox full of emails and new intel, a yawn forces its way out. The clock on my computer tells me that it is 9:45PM.

 _Goddess! It's later than I thought. I should head home._

I gather my things and head to my shuttle. Once I arrive at the vehicle, I toss everything on the passenger seat and reach forward to scan my finger on start button. The shuttle roars to life and lifts off the ground to a low hover. After scrolling through my favorited locations, I select _home_ from the auto-pilot list and the engine roars to life.

I arrive home much quicker than expected. I head to the kitchen to grab a bowl of leftovers from the fridge. I don't bother to reheat them, my body demands nourishment. My back aches from sitting in my chair all day. After plopping down on the couch, I kick my shoes across the room and they land in a basket next to the front door. I throw my feet up on the table and lounge back. Mindlessly flicking through the channels, I stumble across a documentary about varren.

 _Sure, why not._

I shrug and I sit back to watch the program until my bowl is empty. Once the show ends, I power down the television and to head up for shower.

 _Time to wash this awful day away._

I strip out of my work clothes and climb into the shower. The stress from the day rolls off my shoulders as I scrub myself clean. I lean back against the cold tile on the back wall of the shower and try to figure how the meeting with Shepard will go. The temperature difference causes me to shiver and goosebumps to form on my back, my front half stays warm by the water, creating an odd sensation.

 _What if she hates me for leaving, surely there must have been something we could have done to save her?_

 _What if she's already seeing somebody else? It has been 2 years after all._

 _I wonder how long it took the lab to resurrect her…_

Dozens of scenarios flash through my head; some end well, some awful, and some very, very well. My cheeks flush red at the thought of the latter and flashbacks from the old times make a grin escape.

 _Maybe it will be ok after all…_

I climb into bed in my alliance t-shirt (that I stole from Shepard's closet after our first "encounter") and prepare to force my mind to slow down. I laugh to myself when I remember how Kira reacted when she saw me in her shirt for the first time. Shepard likes to keep her cabin at some awful-freezing temperature and I was getting cold. Since we are practically the same size, I searched through her drawers and found a shirt that I've never seen her wear. I pulled it out and put it on since my clothes were on the floor somewhere. I didn't feel like finding them and I thought I looked pretty good her shirt. Initially, she was confused her when she saw me in it, but she definitely came around. By the end of the night, my, well her, shirt ended up on the ground too, but she let me keep it anyway. She called it a souvenir, but that is when I knew I wanted to freeze my butt off in Kira Shepard's cabin for many more nights. Recalling our first night settled my mind, and I even start to feel tired. Drowsiness sets in and sleep takes me captive

A frantic looking Shepard barrels through the mag-doors in search of something, her eyes meet mine and relief washes over her face. We close the gap between us quickly, and I grab her and pull her in for a kiss. I know I'll never get her to board the shuttle with me if I tell her, but she may never forgive me if I don't. I exhale loudly and begin,

"Joker is still on board and refuses to evacuate. We can't leave him here." I say calmly but cringe as I wait for an answer. My brow creases as I hold Shepard's hand and arm tightly, bracing myself from the most recent attack. I scan her face waiting for a response, a rise, anything. I see the shock register over her face.

"Get to the shuttle. I'll haul Joker's crippled ass out of here." Shepard replies sternly. I hesitate. My legs refuse to move.

"Liara, get out of here! Now! I need you to be safe. I need you to stay here! You have to promise me you will get in the last shuttle and go" Shepard pleads as she points to evacuation shuttle.

Pain crosses her face. "… even if I am not here with you. I'll find a way…"

Panic fills me as I know there is a chance that they won't make it back in time. Every cell in my body refuses to let go, but I know I must. I sigh and release her hands but grab her by the hips. Our lips meet briefly and I start to speak

"You better come back to me, or... or..." Tears streak down my pained eyes but I'm interrupted as Shepard tugs me closer for another kiss. Taken off guard, I release my grip.

"I'll be back, I promise." She says as she takes advantage of the freedom. She locks in her helmet and takes off after Joker. I stand there frozen, all I can do is stand and stare….my body refuses to listen to my brain in this moment. My heart hurts and my mind is screaming.

 _Please come back...Goddess protect her._

Aftershock surges through the ship, slamming me back to reality. After taking a minute to evaluate the situation, I remember what I was supposed to be doing. I begin shouting instructions to the frantic crew around me. Directing bodies into shuttles is keeping my mind distracted. I send away a full vehicle.

After what seems like a lifetime, two figures return down the hall. I try to suppress the smile I feel building from my center.

 _Thank the Goddess._

Shepard releases Joker and he to hobbles towards Garrus in the shuttle. Soon after, Shepard is thrown off balance as the ship pitches hard.

"Shepard!" I hear my own voice frantically scream as a large piece of shrapnel slam into her helmet, causing her suit to depressurize quickly.

Hands fall on my hips and I'm tugged backwards hard. The shuttle is launched. Frenzied, I thrash to escape, but it is no use. Strong turian arms hold me in place. Pain takes hold of my entire body. I turn around and find the body anchoring me, and blindly punch it. Desperation seizes control. Garrus holds on tight as 2 small fists slam repeatedly against his heavy turian armor. I can't catch my breath through my hysterics, tears pouring down my face.

With one final 2-handed slam, all fight leaves me and all I can do is lay in Garrus' lap and sob uncontrollably. Eventually, my sobbing transformed to jagged breaths. Hard hands hug me tight, and gently rub across my back. Once the shuttle acclimates to a safe environment it emits a short beep.

The beep ignites my senses, but this time it's a new mix of emotions. I throw down my helmet in anger and fall on my knees in defeat. Head between my hands, I am able to staunch the gasping, but tears keep falling silently.

 _Broken…_

 _Numb…_

 _Hopeless…_

 _Alone…_

Feet shuffle around behind me and Tali rushes to where I sit and she lowers herself to the ground to console me. Quarian arms wrap around my shoulders and refuse to release me for what seems like hours. At some point, exhaustion must has triumphed and caused me to fade to darkness. I am scooped up into the lap of who I can only assume to be Garrus but I am plunged back into darkness again.

A tear slips down my cheek as shock drags me from my nightmare. I roll over to look at the photo on my nightstand of Shepard and me kissing. In the background, a beautiful sunset falls. Both of us are blissfully happy. It was a much simpler time, after the defeat of the geth, before we set off on another mission. The image causes more tears to cascade down my face, but I fall back into a deep sleep.

I sit down at my desk and find a message from a mailing address I've never seen before. I hesitate, but the subject line piques my interest. The hallow-spot in my heart begs to be noticed, it begs me to open the message.

 _ **URGENT: COMMANDER KIRA SHEPARD**_

 _ **Ms. T'soni, I am writing to you because of our mutual interest of the late Commander Kira Shepard of the SSV Normandy. I have a unique proposal for you. If you wish to hear it, I will meet you in your office on Nos Astra.**_

 _ **Looking forward to meeting with you.**_

 _ **WJ**_

 _Shepard…_

My heart hurts. The grief I've suffered through for the past month comes crashing back. Fighting to keep my composure, I stifle back tears. Flashes of the Normandy attack come to disrupt my thoughts, they bring back the numbness. One tear eventually breaks through opening the floodgates wide. I can only muster jagged breaths.

I am finally able to regain my composure, but the message makes me think hard.

 _What could they possibly want from me?_

 _Why ask me for a favor or for something about Kira?_

 _Why not her brothers?_

 _Did they also send out the same message to Garrus, Wrex, or Tali?_

Before the attack, I found myself falling deeper and deeper in love with the red-head. Although she was brash and unreasonable at times, when she finally let her walls down she was amazing. I loved her marvelous soul. She was a very private person, but the closer we got the more Kira felt comfortable sharing. Her gorgeous mind was intoxicating. She was a drug that I could never get enough of. Just when I thought that nothing could make a situation better, Kira would whip around and pitch some witty statement. Being with her was refreshing. She was like coming up to surface of the water after your lungs were screaming for air.

When she would tell stories, she would light up. Her beautiful smile would take over her face. When she would talk about her family, her entire body would relax. It was the calmest you would ever see her. Her laugh was contagious and could easily infect a room. She was suave, she knew just what to say in all situations, it was part of her charm.

When we were together, she tried to keep it light and fun. She found creative ways to keep busy even though we were cooped on a ship for days on end. She kept me from going stir-crazy. When we were finally free to walk around on planets, I showed her how to have fun. She was a bar-scene virgin, which was actually pretty cute. She tried to order krogan ryncol once. Luckily Wrex was on shore with us and talked her out of it. She would only believe him, and only after he said that he saw it hit a human hard once. The human fell unconscious in the bathroom surrounded by purple vomit. He described it as drinking ground up glass. She quickly changed her mind to ice whisky and tried to hide her embarrassment.

Oh, but when we got intimate it was fun. In the beginning she was shy and gentle. She didn't want to ask me to do anything that I wasn't ready for. We got…acquainted with each other over time. The sex was hot, but the showers after were hotter. I spent many nights in Commander Shepard's cabin squeaky clean. Her bed was very comfortable and she even liked to snuggle, which was good since she kept it so cold I might have been able to see my breath. I would have never pictured Kira as somebody who would curl up in bed all night talking about everything on her mind, but she did. Under that rough exterior was a shy and gentle person with the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders. It was an amazing relationship in the making. She didn't know all of the things I liked, but she was learning quickly. She wanted to know what brought me joy. She was taken too soon….

 _Damnit Shepard!_

 _Should I? I mean it can't hurt to at least hear whoever it is out. She's gone anyway. Maybe they are writing an article about her beautiful life instead of her awful demise. Maybe they just want to talk about her. But what if it is something else? Something worse…_

Against my better judgement, I pull the message back up and select the reply button. I hesitate, but continue anyway:

 _ **I will hear you out. I do not promise to go along with whatever you have planned, but let's meet. My office is available anytime in the afternoon today. Stop by and see me.**_

 _ **Liara T'soni**_

Then it's back to the usual routine. With all the phone calls, messages to respond to, and people to see, the day passes by quickly. Late in the afternoon, Nyxeris pops her head in my office.

"Ms. T'Soni, there is a visitor here for you. He is not on your schedule, but said that you gave him the OK via private message." She states.

"Thank you Nyxeris, give me a minute to tidy up my desk and you can send him in." After tidying up the paperwork on my messy desk into neat piles and I cover them with folders. I nod to Nyxeris who escorts a human figure in a black suit into the room followed by a human female with long, jet black hair.

"Ms. T'soni." He extends a hand in my direction. "My name is Dr. Wilson Jakos. I am the head doctor of an operation called The Lazarus Project. This beautiful woman accompanying me is the project's supervising officer, Miranda Lawson"

My hand meets Jakos' and I turn to offer a hand to Miranda right after. I invite them to sit and take a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever comes next.

"Go on."

"After the geth attack on the Citadel, my organization developed a huge interest in Commander Shepard. We have been following all mission briefs that come to surface. She was a huge inspiration to many people. Military enlistment doubled after she defeated Saren and his geth. We would hate to see all of that potential go to waste. That being said, I have a proposal for you. Seeing as you are her…partner, and a well-respected member of her team, we wanted to pick your brain."

"What exactly are we talking about here, Mr. Jakos?" I reply apprehensively.

"My organization has the resources and research to bring Kira Shepard back from the dead." He replies plainly.

While he was speaking, I picked up my glass of water and begin to take a drink. When what he said registers, I feel my body go numb for a second, causing me to drop my glass. The glass shatters and my leg gets splashed.

"W-what?" I stutter in dismay, jumping up from my chair instinctually.

"I know it may seem shocking Liara, but we started developing this project right after the Citadel disaster for a tragic event such as this." Miranda says sympathetically. She reaches forward to touch my hand; I guess my face is betraying me again. I can usually keep my composure during business meeting, but the subject material at this meeting is proving difficult.

"She was an icon, Ms. T'Soni. Bringing her back could continue to change the galaxy for the better. You want this." Jakos adds.

"Why do you need my permission? I'm not family, she has family- well brothers. Why haven't you asked them?" I begin pacing back and forth behind my desk.

"Both of her brothers are unreachable at this time. We need an answer soon if we are going to find her remains." Miranda says bluntly. "There is no time to skirt around this. Are you interested in helping us, or should we hire a team of mercenaries? They won't be nearly as ….gentle with her as you would be. It would also give you the chance to collect any belongings that are floating around the shipwreck."

"Of course, I… I need to make a call. Are you able to step out for a few minutes? I just need to speak with an associate of mine. I shouldn't take long." Jakos nods and the pair head out to the waiting area.

I return to my desk and dial the phone. After a few rings, a familiar drell picks up.

"Liara. How can I help you?"

"Feron, I need help." I fill him in on the details of the conversation so far with Jakos. After a few minutes, Feron agrees to help. Panic and relief clash to take over. I'm unsure what will happen, but I am as ready as I can be. Feron is a friend I have had for a long time, but more recently Cerberus assigned him to help me on this mission. Initially, he did not want to be involved with such a high risk mission and planned on running underground, but after hearing who his cohort would be, he agreed happily. Word in the underground is that somebody else is also after Shepard.

"Tell me what we need to do." I reply. Jakos smiles and the 3 of us head back into the office. Jakos goes over the mission briefing and we end the meeting.

"Commander Shepard has been recovered; the Lazarus Project will proceed as planned." Miranda says plainly over the radio. My body is numb and my mind quiet. I can't form thoughts as they hoist Shepard into a pod and wheel her onto the ship

Miranda gently touches my back and leads me to follow the pod into the ship. We fly back to the lab and the three, well 4, of us are escorted down to the lab. I hated the idea of working with Cerberus, but I couldn't deny their work. If they could bring back Kira then I had to trust them enough to try. It's not like they could kill her again and they have even been polite to an alien such as myself so far.

Once we reach the lab, 4 technicians lift Shepard from the pod, remove her armor and clothes, and cover her with a sheet. They place her on a gurney. Miranda and Jakos leave the room and I find myself alone with Shepard. I reach for the hands that I knew very well, the hands that held mine tight when I told her about my mother, Benezia and how she was indoctrinated by Saren. These hands held me after we were forced to kill Benezia. She gave my mother freedom from Saren when she asked for it, and for that I am grateful.

Tears begin flowing down my blue cheeks onto Kira's arm, but I am unable to control them. Frustrated, I brush them away, but they are quickly replaced. I lean my head against her arm in defeat. Her body feels unfamiliar, so foreign, so cold. It's not the Shepard I grew so close with, the face that I practically memorized while it slept with me most nights, quietly snoring the night away….

BEEP BEEP BEEP, BEEP BEEP BEEP

Startled, I slap the top of the alarm clock to make it stop screaming.

 _Goddess. What a night..._

I force myself out of bed and head to the bathroom, my joints protest the movement. The anxiety and fear from last night's nightmares fill my head. Feeling sweaty and generally unclean, I decide to take another shower. I feel more asari once I am finished.

Once dressed, I head to the kitchen to prepare my lunch and get ready to head out. One thing in particular catches my eye this morning; in the corner stands a glass case with Shepard's armor in it. Seeing the puncture in her chest plate sends a chill down my spine. Though it is beaten and battered, having her gear here reminds me that she lived. Kira took pride in her armor, she would never want it to be in this condition, but I refused to have it cleaned or repaired. I couldn't bear having somebody else touch her suit; it felt like they would remove her spirit. I do wish I had her helmet though, she always bragged about it, since it belonged to her father. Until now, the case was all I had left of Commander Kira Shepard. After staring for a minute, a smile sneaks out of the corners of my mouth. My smile sticks as I head out the door and to work.

"Liara, Mr. Flak is on the phone again for you. He is insisting on speaking with you as soon as possible. He said that it is important." Nyxeris's voice rings through the speaker on my desk phone.

"Tell him I will call him back later. I have a meeting with somebody this afternoon."

"I'm sorry Ms. T'Soni, but he is being very insistent. Also, there isn't anybody on your schedule this afternoon. In fact, you had me block off it off a few days ago. Did I miss somebody?"

"Oh, yes. I am expecting a Commander Kira Shepard this afternoon. When she gets here I expect no phone calls. I may also be out of the office for a while. Please add her to the middle of my schedule but keep it blocked off to others. If she brings company please offer them to sit in the lounge and send her in right away. You can transfer Mr. Flak."

"Right away Ma'am."

 _What does this fool want now? I exhale and stand up, straighten out my suit and head over to the video conference window. A human in a white suit appears before me, arms crossed._

"Yes Flak?"

"Liara, I refuse to suffer any longer. You are going to forgive this bullshit debt that you are holding over my head." He states gruffly. He gestures angrily with his hands.

"I trusted you with a responsibility and you failed me. You cost my organization nearly 1 million credits, Flak. Why should I forgive you? I am asking you to pay half of what you actually owe." I respond calmly.

"My men did not destroy those informants. Your agents were killed by mercenaries. Plain and simple." Flak retorts. His voice becomes angrier and louder.

"I hired you and your team to keep them safe. All you had to do was move them from one facility to another and your team blew it. It was a simple assignment. All of our communications were done on MY private servers. The only way somebody could have found out is if one of YOUR men ran their mouths."

I respond forcing my voice to match Flak's in volume. I am calm but authoritative. This is not the first time I have dealt with difficult clients such as Flak.

"My men would never-" Feeling my patience run out, I cut him off before he has a chance to finish his lie. The mag-door opens, but I do not turn to greet whoever is walking through my door.

"Have you faced an Asari Commando unit, before? Few humans have. I'll make it simple, either you pay me, or I flay you alive. With my mind." I quickly end the video call and turn to see who entered my office.

"Well, you told him" A very familiar voice states. My heart skips a beat.

"Shepard…"

My feet move autonomously. As I approach, her sweet smell washes over my face exciting my every nerve. I cup her face and draw her close. Her hardened lips meet mine and a familiar moan fills my ears. Every cell in my body aches for her; I can't believe this moment is even possible.

Tears roll down my cheeks but I don't care; I don't ever want this moment to end.

Her rough hand rises to cover mine and she laces her fingers through them. With her other hand, she pulls me closer and our bodies touch. A warm hand falls on my hip and holds me tight. She deepens the kiss and her tongue slips across my bottom lip begging for entrance. I happily oblige. Her familiar taste ignites my core and draws out a moan. Without breaking the kiss, she backs me up until my legs are swept out from under me. My hands instinctively reach for her neck to keep my balance and she guides me up onto the corner of my desk. Her kiss becomes hungrier and rougher, our time apart is quickly forgotten. I slide my hand over her butt and guide her between my legs. Our kiss breaks and she rests her forehead against mine with a soft smile.

RING RING….RING RING.

The sound startles Shepard and she quickly jumps back looking for the source of the noise.

 _Nyxeris! I thought I told her I wasn't accepting calls!_

"Damnit, Nyxeris." I grumble, but let the phone ring. Whoever it is can leave a message and I'll get back to them when I'm not in the middle of the reunion I've been dreaming of since I spoke with Jakos.

"Kira, I'm so sorry. I told Nyxeris to field my calls once you got here but I guess she didn't do it." I stare into the emerald eyes I've been longing to see again.

"It's fine Liara. It just," she pauses and her cheeks flush pink, "It just scared me I guess. I'm not used to hearing phones ring. It's pretty embarrassing." She laughs

I giggle then pull Shepard back to me and into a tight hug. She leans her head against mine laughing along.

"I guess it was kind of silly, huh?" She responds playfully. She slides her hands up my back and pulls me into a standing position, into a tight embrace. "God, I missed you, Liara."

"You don't know the half of it, dear." I gently kiss her cheek. My stomach rumbles loudly. Surprise flashes across her face.

"Hungry, Professor?" She laughs. "Do you want to go grab a bite to eat? It is getting late after all. We could go eat and head back to my cabin and catch up."

"What about you? You look pretty sweet, I could just eat you." I jest, kissing her neck. A low groan rumbles from her throat. Her hands slide down to my butt and she pulls me into a hungry kiss.

"Keep it up Liara; we won't make it to dinner or my cabin. I might just have to take you here in your office. There are…" Her eyes scan around the office. "….just a few windows here."

This must be the first time she looked around to see how open this office really was. The shock on her face makes me giggle.

"I might even have to swipe all the papers off your desk." My face must have scared her, because she immediately attempts to correct her statement.

"Nevermind! No paper swiping. I was kidding!" She quickly adds and hugs me tight. I stare at her very seriously for a while. I feel the smile creeping up, but I can't stop it. Once it breaks through, I give up and start laughing. Relief washes over her face and she leans close.

"You are awful. I really thought you were serious." She leans closer and gently kisses my cheek, but then something wet swipes across my cheek.

"Did you just?!" I squeak as I wipe the saliva off my cheek. "I can't believe you just….Kira!"

"Oh stop it, you'll survive! It's not like you aren't use to having my saliva on you." She leans forward and kisses me again on the lips, her eyes asking for forgiveness.

"That may be true, but that doesn't mean I want it on my face. Just. Ew. Back to eating, is Eternity ok? It's close by; I eat there all the time. They even have ryncol if you really want to try it." I jab.

"Eternity sounds great. I mean who cares, the food could be awful, but I'll have a beautiful woman sitting with me. Maybe I'll skip on the ryncol again, it doesn't sound worth it." Shepard smiles, her eyes glowing. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

AN: Yay! The girls are together again. Off to Eternity we go!


	4. Chapter 4: Shepard

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any characters depicted in any of the Mass Effect game.

AN: This is was my favorite chapter to write so far. I hope you guys feel the same way. :)

* * *

Shepard:

Liara and I head through the mag-doors hand-in-hand to find Samara meditating in the lounge.

"We're heading out to Eternity for some food, would you like to join us, Samara?" I inquire. She looks up, and a smile crosses her face. She stands up and walks towards Liara.

"Hello, Dear. My name is Samara." She extends a hand towards Liara. Her face lights up and she happily shakes Samara's hand. "I would enjoy joining you, but I would not want to intrude. I know it has been quite a long time since you have seen each other. I would think you would want some time together."

"No, Samara, I insist, please. Any friend of Kira's is a friend of mine. She clearly trusted you if she asked you come with her to my office." Liara replies happily. She turns and shoots me a puzzled look.

"Where is Garrus? I'm surprised he isn't around. He usually sprints off ship the second we are cleared for shore leave." Liara asks very puzzled.

"He shouldn't be far, I saw him oogling some new armor on the sales floor. He mentioned that he would like armor that doesn't have a gaping hole in it." Samara chuckles. "Let's head down to the sales floor. I'm sure we'll find him by that volus merchant. He thinks very highly of you, dear. I'm sure he has missed you. He had told me a few stories of your adventures together." Liara has a strange look on her face, she turns to me and opens her mouth to ask, but stops herself short.

"I'll tell you about it later. It's not a very fun story." I squeeze her hand and pull her closer, gently placing a kiss on her cheek.

We head out of the administration building and find Garrus haggling with a volus merchant about new armor. Liara and I find a bench to sit on while Samara approaches him. She walks up behind him and taps on his shoulders. He turns his back to us and hands his credit chit to the merchant.

The pair chat while Garrus fills out the shipment form. He searches around until he spots our bench. With a huge smile plastered his face, he heads in our direction. When he gets close, Liara jumps up and gives him a very emphatic hug, she even gives him a tight squeeze. He laughs and kisses her on the forehead.

"Blue!" He shouts. "Never change sweetie!" The hole in his armor catches her eye and her jaw falls down wide. She quickly shoots me a look and I nod. The scar on his face is far less noticeable now that it has healed on his turian skin.

"Pick your jaw up off the ground, Sweetie. I'm just fine. It would take more than a rifle round to put this stubborn ass in the dirt." Garrus jests. Liara's face softens a bit, but she still turns to me with questioning eyes. Her eyes trace the massive hole in Garrus' armor, up the scar on his neck and to his eyes.

"So Garrus, the three of us are headed to Eternity for some food and drinks if you want to come with?" I ask, trying to pull Liara's attention back. She snaps her head back around and looks at me as I speak. A huge smile flashes across the turian's face.

"Of course! I've never seen Blue drunk. This could be fun." Garrus replies playfully. Liara scrunches up her face when he calls her Blue. She opens her mouth to interrupt but he quickly cuts her off again.

"Alright, I'll quit calling you Blue...for now." He winks at me. Liara lets out a loud sigh. We all turn and head towards Eternity, making small talk about the weather. When we arrive, the bar smells like fried food, the drinks look eccentric, and the patrons appear happy.

On one table sits two drinks with neon-colored liquid, one blue and one geen, each glowing in the bar's low lighting. At another table, two young krogans laugh as their friend. It seems that his drink turned tongue bright green, causing it to glow. The hostess seats us next to a table with and turian and a quarian. They seem pretty encompassed by their conversation, but begin speaking lower when we sit. Every so often I catch a few hot words like fluid transfers and infection. I can only imagine what the rest of the conversation could hold. I chuckle to myself and look at Liara, who must know what I'm laughing about because she also smirks. Her hand slides across my thigh and remains there. I don't protest, but rather cover her hand with mine. After giving it a quick squeeze, I lace my fingers through hers.

"So what do you think you would like to drink, Kira? How about some ice brandy?" Liara jests. My stomach churns at the thought of the potent drink. I scrunch up my face as I shake the thought away.

"Pass. Maybe just a beer instead." I reply.

"Aw, c'mon! You had a great time with Dr. Chakwas didn't you?" My stomach churns hard this time. Liara giggles and continues

"Last time she and Chakwas had a bottle of Serrice ice brandy, they both drank WAY too much. She had the worst hangover I've ever seen her suffer. She was hysterical when she is drunk. She called me… 'hot?' and asked if I was seeing anybody later. She even tried to be smooth and ask her to keep her warm all night. That was a good night..." she trails off staring in the distance…for a long time.

"Oh yeah, that was a great night...I think. It was a blur really." I reply with a laugh. That night was amazing, but the following day was awful. I spent the entire day in bed in the dark attempting not to vomit. Liara stayed with me for most of it though. She was amazing. She flitted between me and my terminal to keep me up to date on my important messages. She took care of her work; somehow even finding time to bring me food and water. Occasionally, she would even curl up in bed next to me, keeping me company even though I was miserable.

"Illium to Liara. Come in Liara." Garrus teases. I give her a quick nudge with my elbow and she shakes off her thought. Her cheeks flash red for a second and she giggles.

"If you are done daydreaming about your extracurriculars with the Commander, the rest of us would love to chat with you!" Garrus jests.

We order meals and drinks when our waitress checks back on us. She even laughs as Garrus teases Liara. She is a cute asari. She appears to be a young maiden but I can't say for sure. She looks towards Garrus, her cheeks turn a light shade of pink. After she walks away, Liara turns and jabs him in the chest with an elbow,

"She a friend of yours, Garrus?" She laughs

"No, but I would certainly like her to be." He replies smoothly. He watches her walk away, eyes lingering dangerously low, until she walks out of view.

"Commander, what is the policy about bringing guests on board?" He trails back to us with a smirk.

"Well, since you choose to sleep with the ship's battery, I would think you'd rather just stay off-ship tonight. I mean, you are welcome to bring her aboard, but she'd have to register with Yeoman Kelly and you would be responsible for her… and maybe Kelly." I wink and he winces.

"I suppose you are right..." He trails off in apparent thought.

"Maybe if you are smooth enough, she will invite you to her place" Liara says, a serious tone to her voice. "Don't sell yourself short, sweetie." She reaches across the table and touches his hand. The contact startles him.

"You are an amazing guy, Garrus. She would be lucky to get to spend a night getting to know the real you." She continues, a smile creeps across his face. "Although, you may want to change into something less….holey"

"I don't know, Liara. It gives him a rugged edge. It's kinda sexy." I wink at him, he returns the gesture. Liara nudges my side with her elbow. The jealousy on her face is cute, and pushes me to continue. "I mean if you weren't here, I might take him back to my quarters and show him my ship collection." The blue hand on my thigh slides higher and firmly squeezes. She raises her eyebrow at me. The combination of her hand on my leg and her jealous rising re-ignites my desire for her. I slide my hand to cover hers and squeeze, a smile crosses her face.

"Oh, green does not look good on you, Blue." Garrus teases.

"I think I have to disagree, it looks VERY good on her actually." I reply, chuckling. Liara's cheeks turn a bright pink in response to the statement.

The waitress brings our drinks over. Garrus smiles and helps her hand our glasses around.

"Has it been busy today, Rue?" She appears shocked when he says her name. He chuckles.

"It's on your nametag, sweetheart." She looks down at her shirt and her face relaxes.

"It's actually been pretty slow so far. Just you guys for food really. I think the kitchen staff actually groaned with excitement when I handed them 4 whole orders to take care of." She laughs. "I don't want to interrupt; you guys look like you are catching up. I'll be back when your food is up. It shouldn't be long at all!" She smiles and gently pats Garrus in the shoulder. He shoots a huge smile back at her as she walks away.

"Ooooh Garrus. She touched you." Liara teases, exaggerating each word. There is a hint of mockery in her voice.

"Oh, quit teasing him." I nudge her side

"How do you plan on approaching her, Garrus?" Samara inquires. The two continue talking amongst themselves about Garrus' plan. Liara moves her face close to my ear

"I could start teasing you instead" She whispers very low, her hand creeps across my thigh, this time closer to my core. Pleasure washes up my body; I am barely able to stifle my body's response to her touch. I quickly grab her hand and move it further down my thigh. A cocky look crosses her face for a second. She raises an eyebrow and stands up.

"I need to use the restroom. Kira, do you mind coming with me? Bar bathrooms creep me out." She says innocently. Samara and Garrus both nod and happily continue their conversation. We head across the bar and reach the bathroom. Once inside, she grabs my waist and pulls me in for a kiss. This catches me off guard and a gasp escapes my lips. The kiss becomes rougher and hungrier as she pushes me back against the nearest wall. Liara reaches for the door and throws the lock with ease. She pushes her body against mine and her hands begin to wander

"Woah, Liara." I breathe gasping for air. She smiles and leans her head on my shoulder, taking jagged breaths. A smile remains on her face.

"I'm sorry Shepard, I just…Goddess I missed you. I can't believe you are actually here. I keep waiting to wake up." I wrap my arms around her torso tightly and pull her closer. She glances down to her feet and continues,

"I know you were only joking with Garrus, but still… I'm sorry, I know I got jealous, but you died… I watched you get blasted into dark space, but here you are… Alive, and flirting with Garrus." She takes a deep breath. "I'm a mess of emotions right now, I'm sorry Kira." She says between sobs. I grab her hand and put it on my chest.

"Hey, feel that? It's my heart, and it is beating. I'm here, I'm not going anywhere." She nods and lifts her head. Our eyes lock. After brushing away her tears, I cup her face in my hands and kiss her softly. "You are stuck with me. If you think Garrus is stubborn, what about me?" She smirks. "Emotions and all, I wouldn't miss this."

"You ARE a stubborn woman, Kira Shepard. You always have been. You couldn't even die peacefully." She giggles, resting her head on my shoulder. "I grieved for 2 years because of you. I didn't believe Cerberus could actually bring you back, but here you are. Now I have to let you back into a space a walled you out of. I'm trying Kira. I really am."

"I know you are. I'm sorry for breaking my promise and getting blasted into space. I left you in this galaxy, all alone." I say as I kiss her forehead. We stand here like this for a few minutes. I finally break the silence

"We should get back out there before Garrus thinks we did something in the dirty bar bathroom. We are way better than that." I wink, a small giggle fills the air.

When we approach the table, Samara looks at me. She lift an eyebrow, questioning. I turn my head to Liara and kiss her temple. Samara and I lock eyes and she gives a subtle nod. We communicate wordlessly well, a skill we have acquired throughout our time together. Liara's puffy eyes helped this time around. We sit down and Garrus looks at me with a confused look, but then continues his conversation with Samara. They are talking about Garrus' plan for the waitress, Rue.

"If I can just get her interest piqued then maybe I can get her phone number" He smiles. He turns to Liara. "What do you think, Blue? Got any interesting ideas?"

"First off, stop calling me Blue before I put another hole in your suit." She continues. "Put on that…What did you call it, Kira? Rugged charm? And show her your hole. Maybe she'll show you…" I quickly put my hand over her mouth.

"I beg you NOT to finish that Liara T'Soni." She smirks and continues, trying to talk through my hand. I remove my hand and replace it with my lips. The ornery look on her face hasn't changed one bit.

"You. Are. Trouble." I laugh. She winks at me, causing Samara and Garrus to laugh.

"But I'm your favorite kind of trouble." Liara replies as she touches my leg.

"Who's in trouble?" Rue replies as she walks up with our meals. Samara nudges Garrus' arm.

"You, if this food isn't better than mine." Garrus replies. She smiles

"Well I didn't actually cook this, but I think that food here is pretty amazing. The clientele here are pretty amazing too." She winks at him as she collects our empty glasses, putting them on the tray.

"Refills?"

We all have full mouths of food but nod happily. She laughs and walks back towards the bar. We continue to eat our meals in comfortable silence. Rue drops more drinks off for us and Garrus thanks her. After we finish our food, Rue comes back again. She drops the check, but Garrus scoops it up and follows her to the register, a hand resting on her lower back. The two smile and chat the whole way back. When he returns, he has a receipt in his hand with feminine hand-writing scribbled on it and a cheesy smile plastered on his face.

"She gets off in a few hours. Then, it's time to woo." He smirks. "Dinner is on me, ladies. Lets head back to the ship?" We all nod in agreement and thank him in unison. Liara stands up and hugs Garrus tight.

"It's great to see you, you crazy guy." She says with a smile on her face. He puts his arm over her shoulder protectively and she slides her hand behind his back, leaning her head on his shoulder. Samara looks at me with a smile; we all head towards the exit together. Once we reach the docking bay, Liara's eyes light up. Garrus and Samara have gone through the door while Liara marvels at the new Normandy.

"Wow. THIS is the new Normandy?" She turns to us beaming. She turns to take in the new vessel. "I've heard it was better, but wow!" She gawks and grabs my hand tightly. She is bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. She pulls me closer, bringing her mouth close to my ear, she whispers:

"Does that mean your quarters are bigger too? I sure would _love_ to see them…" She exhales softly in my ear kissing it softly. Electricity surges through my body and settles at my center. I tighten my grasp on her hand and slide my other hand around her waist pulling her closer to me.

"Only if you promise to say please" I reply.

She smirks and we continue through the air lock. The device scans us. When it senses Liara it requires her to scan her hand. This is for security purposes, of course. The panel beeps, then begins de-pressurizing the room. A second beep, and the door opens. We approach the deck.

The expression on Liara's face is pure wonder and excitement. I can't wait to show her around (and maybe show her off too).

* * *

AN: Fluff. All of the fluff.


	5. Chapter 5: Shepard

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any characters depicted in any of the Mass Effect game.

AN: Next stop, The Normandy! Dum dum dum dummmmm!

AN2: This chapter gets a little warm at the end. Just a heads-up

* * *

Shepard:

"JOKER!" Liara exclaims. She quickly shuffles towards him. He cringes when he sees her running, but when she doesn't bulldoze him over he relaxes. She hugs him gently and kisses his cheek. "You look pretty good mister. How are you feeling?"

"Doing pretty great, Liara. Enjoying the new equipment the ship has to offer." He says as he strokes the dashboard of the cockpit. "She's pretty isn't she?"

"She's gorgeous!" She replies with a huge smile across her face. "She's not nearly as amazing as the crew that runs her though." She puts her hand on his shoulder.

"Shepard is showing me around, but I'll be sure to catch up soon. I promise!" Liara replies. She takes my hand and looks up for my direction. Samara catches my eye and gives us a wave goodbye as she heads back to her cabin.

"I'll catch up with you two later." Samara smiles and continues on her way.

I lead her through CIC and to the medical bay. We talk with Dr. Chakwas for a few minutes. I introduce her to Miranda, who she apparently already knew. We head to the elevator. We go down to the Hangar next. I show her the new Cerberus-colored Kodiak shuttle and M44 Hammerhead tank. Her grip on my hand tightens when I point out the white, black, and gold Kodiak.

"What's the matter, Liara?" I ask. Her reaction worries me enough that I have to ask. She looks down at her feet and opens her mouth to speak.

"The last time I saw a shuttle like this we were lifting you on it….in a box." She rests her head on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, I know it wasn't your fault. I'm just getting use to the fact that you are actually back."

I decide to cut the tour short for now. I lead Liara back to the elevator and hit the top button on the panel. It lights up orange and the elevator begins to lurch towards the top of the ship. Sadness is still lingering on her face. I gently place my hands on her waist and pull her close. Even though I pull her into a tight embrace, she stays rigid. I kiss her cheek gently and rest my cheek against hers. She sinks closer into me nestling her head in the nape of my neck. After breathing in deeply, her body relaxes and melts further into mine. The bell dings, signaling our arrival, but we don't move. After a few seconds, Liara stands up straight, grabs my hand, and pulls me through the doors.

"We're here." She says quietly. I nod and lead her down two stairs. Directly to the left of us sits a massive fish tank full of a variety of aquatic life. Her body seems to slowly relax as she stares into the deep blue water. I stand behind her, resting my hands on her hips and my head on her shoulder. She sinks back against stare together for a few minutes in silence. I grab her hand and lace my fingers through hers. With both of our hands, I reach forward and hit the feeding button on the panel. As the food falls from above the tank, the fish swim quickly to scoop of the food as it falls. She lets out a small laugh as one small Illium Skald fish chases a larger one from a huge cloud of food.

She turns around to face me, then pulls my body against hers. She rests her hand on my cheek and closes the distance for a soft kiss. It doesn't last long, but full of meaning, full of electricity. All of the unspoken words that fluttered between us melded together quietly. A soft smile crosses Liara's face and she rests her forehead against mine.

"Come here, Liara." I guide her towards the bed with my hand on the small of her back and lay down. She joins me without hesitation, melding into my body. Hands find familiar hands and our gazes lock.

"So, you've met Miranda then?" I ask, finally breaking the silence. Liara responds with a nod.

"She is part of the reason you are here, Kira. She and her associate, Dr. Jakos approached me about the Lazarus Project. They asked me permission to bring you back… to resurrect you…" She trails off

"So it's your fault I'm back, huh?" I jest, poking her sides gently. I am rewarded with a small giggle and a ton of squirming. "I think the rest of the galaxy will blame you for having me back."

"I doubt that's how they will see it, Kira. You are a role-model. There are stories written about you…. You are bound to be in history books. Why else would Cerberus want to bring you back?" Liara regains control of my hands and traps them in her own. She takes a look around the room and her eyes fixate on an object on my desk.

"Is that…your helmet?" She gasps and quickly rolls out of bed. I quickly follow suit, but she beats me to it. She picks the helmet up and evaluates it closely. She traces the large crack with her fingers and turns back to me with her lower lip quivering.

"Liara….I'm right here…" Sliding behind her and resting my hands on her waist. "I won't promise I'll never leave again, but I'm right here… In the flesh…" Placing a small kiss on the side of her neck, and guide her hand across the helmet again.

"A piece of ship hull hit me here and put a big crack in the glass of my helmet…" I rotate the helmet in our hands and show her the inside.

"The lock on the inside also is broken… I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what happened. My helmet camera caught some of the footage. Samara thought it would be best that I delete it though. I kept watching it, trying to figure out how I could've changed the outcome. It was borderline obsessive. She told the past is the past… if we keep dwelling on the past, we will never have a future." Liara slowly turns and faces me, she gently kisses the scar on my neck.

"Apparently while I was…floating… around in space, my helmet flew off. I likely was struck in the neck with some sort of shrapnel. Because the rest of my body was in armor, it was fine, but my neck gained a wound. When Cerberus brought me back, it healed slowly and scarred over." Liara nods and places the helmet back on the table.

"They did say you would have some modifications, and would likely be slightly different." She says softly. After a few moments of silence, she sighs loudly. "I wasn't expecting to be this emotional today Kira. I am very sorry."

I gently push her down to a seated position on the bed and take my jacket and boots off.

"Liara, do you trust me?" I take her hands in mine.

"Of course I do…" I nod and pull shirt over my head. I take her hand in mine and trace the dark scar on my lower abdomen.

"This…. Is where a piece of debris hit me before I blacked out; it hurt like a bitch." I smirk, a flash of recognition and she nodded attentively, I kiss her gently.

"And, here on my arm, that's where they fixed some nerve damage that I had." Another kiss.

"Over here on my shoulder, I had a piece of my armor cave in, so that had to be removed." A deeper kiss, Liara's body relaxed more, she allows me to have more movement with her hands.

"These stupid things here on my shoulders are how they restarted my nervous system. That was one of the few things I remember when I was fading in and out of consciousness. I remember seeing stars when they did that. Apparently I tried to strangle the scientist who was standing over me" I slide both of our hands to my shoulders and trace the small circle on either shoulder. She laughs a little at this.

"They are getting less noticeable as time goes on though. I have to say, I am very happy about that part."

Placing another deep, slow kiss on her lips, I lay her down slowly, scooting her to the center of the bed. I run her hand around my waist and to my back. I don't know exactly where it is, but feel for the scar the runs down my lower spine.

"This is where they placed a rod in my back to stabilize my spinal fracture. I would say though, the most important scar I have is this one right here…" I sit up and straddle her waist. Pulling off my bra, I point out a light scar across my sternum. Without my aid, a blue hand traces the length of the defect and lays her hand flat.

"It wouldn't do well to do all of this work to bring me back only to have my heart crap out, would it?" I ask softly as I lean down a place a kiss on her forehead gently.

"I would guess not…" She trails off and she scans my naked upper body. Blue hands slide around a fair-skinned back and pull our bodies closer. It is a mostly innocent kiss at first, but becomes deeper. Hands wander up and down my sides and create chills up and down my body. Our kiss grows more passionate. A hand slides up my side and gently cups one of my breasts causing a low moan to escape my mouth. I am caught off guard when my legs are grabbed and I gently lowered on my back. Liara effortlessly takes control; a knee is placed between my legs as my arms are drawn above my head.

Blue hands slide effortlessly down my torso and end up on my waist. Liara begins kissing down my neck slowly. Sucking softly on the spot she knows makes me crazy. Her mouth continues to travel, down my collarbone, and to my sternum. Hands gently cup both breasts and give a gentle squeeze, forcing another moan from me.

"This seems a little un-even, sweetie." She jests. I move my hands from above my head but a stern look from my professor tells me to keep them there. Liara takes her time unfastening her top and tossing it across the room. Her breasts look beautiful in the bra they are restrained by. She leans down and gives me a kiss. When he skin finds contact with mine, a chill rolls through my body and the low fire that has been burning in my core burns hotter.

"Liara-" I gasp, unable to form a coherent thought. My moan was quickly swallowed by blue lips. Blue hands glide across a fair stomach to knead warm breasts

"Hmm?" She hums innocently. "What were you saying, Commander? I rudely interrupted you."

"Liara…" another moan. A smirk crosses blue lips. Eyes that were icy-blue now seem darker, more passionate, full of desire.

"Yes dear, I am right here." She replies with a hint of amusement in her voice. Blue eyes scan the fair-skinned woman lying under her, bouncing between scar after scar. "And so are you."

Almost-defiantly, fair hands fall upon blue sides and work their way up. Blue breasts fall unrestrained and a satin-white bra falls to the bed.

"I think now we are even." A green eyes shine as a devious smirk crosses pink lips.

"It would indeed appear that way." Strong, fair, legs roll both bodies to the bed and blue eyes meet green. Liara doesn't fight this, but instead lies on her side.

 _God, she's just as beautiful as I remembered_

"I love you, Liara T'Soni. I never told you before, you know, I died. I've been waiting to do so since the second I woke up." A single tear rolls down a blue cheek, but is slowed by a kiss. Blue lips find pink ones and slowly roll across each other, finding each other again soon after. Liara breaks from the kiss and stares deeply into my eyes.

"I love you too, Kira Shepard." She pauses and sighs. "But if you EVER die on me again, I will kick your ass."

I try to keep a serious face but soon find myself losing, as a smile betrays me.

"I can only promise to try." I jest, poking her belly button.

* * *

AN: OK, maybe this one was a little more fun to write. More fluff. What are you guys thinking so far? I have 2 more chapters written out that I hope to get up today or tomorrow.


	6. Chapter 6: Liara

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any characters depicted in any of the Mass Effect game.

AN: Good morning crew. Let's see what our girls get into today.

* * *

Liara:

My eyes flutter open and find Kira lying next to me, softly snoring. I stretch my arms and legs, much to their dislike, my muscles ache. Cold air attacks my bare skin and I quickly remember that Kira is part snow-bear. I retreat back under the thick comforter. My bladder tells me it is time to get up though, my stomach unhappily grumbles in agreement.

I scan the room and find my clothing scattered across the floor and quietly sigh. To my left, I find a black terry-cloth robe tossed over the arm of a chair. I brave the cold again, grab the robe and slide it around me. After tending to my bladder, I search around the room for my communication band and find that it is 6:30AM. If memory serves me correctly, the mess hall should be open at this time.

I stroll over to fish tank and press the auto-feed button. I stand and watching as Kira's fish happily dive for fish flakes. One fish in particular stands out to me. This small yellow fish stays towards the bottom of the tank and collects the food that escapes past the grasps of bigger, hungrier fish. It seems content swimming back and forth collect its flakes without fighter the larger group above.

"Hey, that's my robe." A husky, sleep-filled voice calls from across the room. The statement draws me away from the small fish. I turn slowly and find a very naked Kira Shepard walking towards me. She wraps her arms around my waist, pulls me close, and gently kisses my cheek. She leans back for a second and her eyes scan up and down my torso.

"I suppose it looks better on you anyway, but you'd look much better without it." She winks and places another kiss on my cheek.

"You saw a lot of naked me last night. Maybe if you didn't sleep in sub-zero temperatures I would still be naked." I wink pulling her closer to steal her warmth. She inhales deeply and smirks.

"You should shower before we head down for breakfast." She says plainly.

"Do I stink?" I reply, slightly offended.

"Yes, you do...like sex. I don't need to be batting my crew off of you while I try to stomach my breakfast. It's hard enough to eat that sludge some days." She laughs. "We could save water you know." She throws a wink in my direction and heads towards the bathroom.

 _Always the joker, that one…_

I quickly follow her into the bathroom and after a shower is had, we start dressing ourselves. A pair of black pajama pants and a grey shirt is tossed in my direction. I scan the room and find my bra from last night and throw that on, as well as the pajamas. The two of us head down to the mess hall and find Samara and Garrus deep in discussion.

"Ah! There they are." Garrus jokes. "I was about to send a search party up to look for you two. Buuuuuut….Judging by the look on the Commander's face, you guys would have been very upset."

I turn to face Kira, who has a disgruntled look on her face. I try to keep from laughing, but know a smirk sneaks through. She walks away to grab two trays of food. When she returns to the table, Garrus is explaining to Samara about his night.

"So Garrus, did you 'hook up' with Rue last night?" I question, emphasizing the words "hook up" with air quotes. This makes Kira and Samara laugh, and Garrus look up from his tray with a smile.

"Oh sweetie, I don't kiss and tell." He jokes.

"You totally did!" Shepard interrupts with a laugh. "You are the worst-secret keeper in the galaxy."

The three of us continue light conversation, enjoying each other's company. Shepard is relaxed; a genuine smile plastered on her face. It is comforting to know that she can be 100 percent herself around her crew. Samara and Garrus have been taking great care of my girl. This, however, does not surprise me in the least. Garrus took care of me when Kira was unable to. I shudder at the memory, well, at least what I remember of it. Garrus had to fill me in on a lot of the details. I didn't care to relive the worst day of my life, but my therapist thought it was important for me to know.

Samara looks at Shepard as a mother to her child. A gentle smile pulls at her cheeks whenever Garrus and Shepard banter. From what I've been told, Samara doesn't have a great relationship with her own children. She must be an important part of Shepard's life if she brought her along on Ilium. I look at the time and realize it is getting late. I find a break in the conversation and gently tap Kira's arm.

"So, I need to head back to my apartment to retrieve a few items for work. I don't think I can go to my office in my current outfit" I look down at my current outfit. "You should come with me and we can head back to my office. I need to talk to you about what you are docked on Illium for. Samara and Garrus, would you mind meeting us at my office at around 10?"

Shepard, Garrus, and Samara nod and we all finish our meals. Shepard and I bid the pair goodbye and head back up to her cabin.

"You know, you could just stay here all day, naked." Shepard jokes. I sit down on the bed and wait for her to get ready to head ashore. Shepard pulls off her top and moves across the room. She extends a hand and pulls me up to a standing position. Strong hands wrap around my waist and pull us together. She gently kisses me and rests her forehead against mine.

"I don't want to leave this room." She sighs. "Sometimes, I wish I were just another 9-5 worker that can come home to her beautiful girlfriend every night and talk about how boring work was. I mean desk work wouldn't be so bad, right? Or, I could be your private security agent" She winks at the last sentence.

"You would hate a 9-5 job. You get antsy when you have too e-mails to answer in one sitting." I laugh. "I would love to know you were always safe, but the galaxy needs you. Plus, if you were my 'private security' I feel like I would never get anything done. Also, I would have to knock you out when you start badgering me, and all that time on the ground, unconscious, wouldn't be good for your health."

Her jaw drops and she pulls me in for another kiss. A smile breaks across her mouth mid-kiss.

"Let me get this straight… You think you could knock me, Commander Shepard, Commanding officer of the SSV Normandy, unconscious?" Another playful kiss.

"Oh I know I could. I don't care how big and bad you think you are. I know where your weak points are" I wink

"If you say so, babe." She says with a smile.

"Get yourself dressed, I'd hate to have to answer to the Illusive Man for injuring his-." Her lips find mine before I can finish my statement. Fair hands wander to places they shouldn't and a hand lands on my butt. Our kiss grows hungrier and deeper and she runs her thumb along the waistband of my pants, dipping a little deeper on each pass.

"Kira…" I warn with an exhale.

"Mmm?" She replies innocently, not breaking our kiss. Her free hand glides up my torso and rests against my restrained breast.

"Kira…." I warn again, but this doesn't seem to faze her. In one quick movement, I spin us around and kick out her foot. We both fall to the bed quickly. She seems surprised, I take this chance to straddle her stomach and pull her hands up above her head.

"Liara, how the hell…" She trails off once my butt comes in contact with her stomach. I slowly lean closer and place a kiss on her forehead, making sure my breasts are painfully close to her face. I turn and whisper in her ear…

"Just remember, I can take you anytime, babe. Now, are you going to get your pretty ass up and get ready, or am I going to go get Garrus and tell him all the dirty things we did last night? I'm sure he'd love to know how you screamed my name and writhed at my touch." Shock crosses her face; a smirk replaces my serious look. She gives a quick nod.

"That's what I thought. Get your sexy ass undressed so we can get to my apartment. I'll never get to work on time at this rate"

After I dismount her stomach, Shepard stands up slowly and finishes undressing. She pulls her fitted combat clothing on.

Seeing her don her uniform sends chills down my spine. This morning is very much like many we had before _that day_. We had breakfast, she got dressed, I got dressed and we headed our separate ways. I would head down to my office and Shepard to CIC.

Shepard reaches her armor pieces and lays them out on the bed. Her armor basically consists of 2 sections: a fabric armor that has kinetic padding, and hard ceramic-based exoskeleton .

Essentially, areas that aren't mobile have hard plating on them. These suits seal together to protect the wearer from extreme temperature or atmosphere. Combat armor usually comes with a communication system, navigation system, and environment-sensing system. When wearers pull their helmets on, these systems connect with the visor to form a HUD. The HUD even communicates with information emitted by their weapons and accessories. This helps the wearer be fully aware of all parts of their gear. Some armor types even have an enemy identification system that aid in location and elimination.

She reaches into the closet and pulls out the black fabric portion of her armor and slides into it. This suit covers her from the bottoms of her feet all the way to her neck. It extends down to include her hands as well. A thick zipper on her right leg is lifted up the suit to her neck; a velcro strip attaches a piece of stiff fabric over the zipper and holds it in place.

She reaches for her leg pieces and secures them into place. These pieces are flexible at the knee so the wearer is able to run and cover effectively without leaving knees and ankles vulnerable to well-placed shots. The thigh-portion of these leg pieces also help cover the hips and flexible magnetic flaps seal them to the chest plate and boots.

She grabs her combat boots out of the closet and drops them to the floor with a loud THUD. She sits on the edge of the bed, pulls her boots on. Her boots have a magnetic sole that can be activated and used at will. They also help in rough terrain.

She turns and pulls her chest plate over her head and clips the halves together. It protects vital organs. The front and back pieces clip together for 360-degree protection.

Her arm pieces are a little more intricate. As far as self-protection, the arms on a set of armor need to be the most mobile piece. The gauntlets that protect her forearms and upper arm are secured together by a series of hinges and ball-joints that aim to prevent movement hindrance; she slides these pieces up her arm.

The shoulder pieces attach to the arm gauntlets and the chest place. She puts each piece in place and turns to me to secure them into the chest plate. I know she can do this on her own, but help her anyway.

After pulling her shield device from the chest, she clips that onto her combat belt and her armor flashes blue for a second. Kinetic barriers are another way the suit keeps the wearer safe. Most shields are able to stop most mass accelerator weapons. The shield emits small mass effect fields from tiny sensors throughout the suit. They are able to repulse small objects traveling at high velocities. It provides the user protection without doing things such as knocking away the chair they are trying to sit on, sending debris on the ground flying away from them, or shooting objects they are trying to pick up away from them. A sensor appears on her HUD and notifies her when it is close to overloading. When kinetic barrier overload, they have varying cool-down periods where the wearer is vulnerable to fire. Hiding in cover is recommended to reduce the chances of overload.

She turns and opens her gun chest then carefully extracts her sidearm and widow and clicks both to the mag-locks on her back.

"My Hero." I swoon, with a touch of antagonism in my voice. Shepard smiles and pulls me close for a kiss.

"Hero, huh? I've never been called that before." She winks and grabs my hand. She grabs her gloves and helmet and we head to the elevator to head to shore.

When we arrive at my apartment, Glyph greets us at the door. I head to my room and I strip from my pajamas. I toss these and my clothes from yesterday into the laundry basket in the corner of the room and search through my closet for something to wear.

"I always did like you in black." Kira states from the doorway with a smile. I turn and meet her gaze; a warm smile breaks on my face.

"You like me in anything, dear. I could run around in a brown sack and you'd still like it." I tease.

"I mean, I prefer you in nothing, but I would hate to have to kill the morons who broke their necks trying to stare at you all day." She smiles.

"You are giving me that look again, Kira" Shepard has this look that she gives me. It's difficult to describe but isn't lustful, it's soft and caring. She looks at me like I'm the only things to look at. It makes me feel like a young maiden again, my stomach flutters every time she does it.

I turn back to my closet and pull out the black outfit that Shepard recommended. I quickly get changed and meet her in the doorway.

"Ready?" I ask.

"Ready." She replies.

"Well let's go then." She takes my hand and we leave the apartment

* * *

AN: I feel as though I need to apologize for the level of narration in this chapter. I am slightly infatuated with the way the armor works in this series. It always made me curious to see how one would put on a set of armor like Shepard wears. I started looking into the Codex entries and to the wiki for some answers. I always hoped there would be a scene in the game that explained this.


	7. Chapter 7: Liara

AN: So sorry for the delay guys. Life got super crazy, I think I'm going to try start trying some new things after this chapter. I feel like maybe I'm following game progression too closely. I don't want it to get stale on you guys. Let me know what you think!

As always...All content and characters so far belong to Bioware's Mass Effect Trilogy. Kudos.

* * *

Liara:

"I've been working as an information broker. It pays the bills since you, well, the past 2 years, and now you're back." I invite Shepard to take a seat in my office. "…gunning for the collectors with Cerberus" Kira tenses in her chair.

"That's not exactly public knowledge." She replies questioningly

"Neither is you being alive, Shepard. Information is my business now, and if you need information about finding people, I'm happy to help" I look towards my information console

"What about you Liara, I could use your help on this mission." She replies seriously

"I can't Shepard, I'm sorry. I have commitments here, things I need to take care of."

 _I wish I could help you… I wish you knew…_

"What kind of things do you need to take care of? Are you in trouble?" She leans forward in her chair and places her hands on top of mine.

"No, no trouble, but it's been a long 2 years. I had things to do while you were gone, I have debts to repay." I pause. "Listen, if you want to help, I need someone with hacking expertise, someone I can trust. If you could disable security at key points around Illium, you could get me information I need. That would help me a great deal." Confusion and fear cross her face. She searches around the room as if she's missing something

"What's this all about Liara, can't you just talk to me?" A touch of pain resonates through her reply.

"Don't you think I want to, Shepard? This isn't because I don't trust you, this is Illium. Anything I say is probably being recorded"

 _And I need to keep you safe._

"Hacking a terminal sounds pretty easy, why do you need me?"

"I don't know anyone else I can trust. Hacking the security node won't get you the data; it just creates a minor glitch in the system. You'll have a short time to find a local server left vulnerable by that glitch and upload the data to my system. I'm leaving my own system vulnerable so that the data can be imported during that short time. "

"If it'll help you, I'll take care of it." She replies, monotone.

 _I would tell you everything if I didn't think he'd kill you too…_

"When you hack one, a server will open nearby for a short time. You can download data from there if you hurry. This may help me pay a great debt." Shepard gives a short nod and lets out a sigh. She stands up slowly and steps towards my desk.

"I'll talk to you later Liara." Shepard places her hand over mine for a second and turns and exits the room.

 _I wish I could tell her everything. I wish I could tell her that Feros was taken and is most likely dead or being tortured. I wish I could tell her that if I get her involved, there is a very good chance it would compromise her mission. Cerberus wants no parts of this, they will not help…_

After a few minutes of staring off, I roll my chair back to my computer and check my messages. I have a few that I deal with, including another angry message from Flak.

"Nyxeris." I page over the phone.

"Yes?" She replies promptly.

"Call Flak for me please. Put him through to the conference screen once you get him on the line. Thank you." After a few moments Flak appears on the screen behind me.

"Liara." A gruff voice disrupts the silence.

"Flak, do you think I am a joke? Do you really believe that pressing my boundaries is going to go well for you?"

"I will do whatever I have to do to protect my people." He replies quickly.

"As will I. 5 of my informants are dead, and your people are at fault. Your people may have not pulled the trigger, but they sealed their fate." My information console emits a beep and data begins downloading to my system.

"You will do well to take my threats seriously, Flak. I do not mix business with pleasure, so I make no jokes when I say I will have your head if you continue down this path."

"I have powerful friends, Ms. T'Soni. Friends that would like to see you taken down a peg or six. I would watch your back." Flak replies plainly.

"I also have powerful allies. My back is covered. Is yours?" I end the call and head back over to the information console.

"Shepard." I smile. I pull up a camera feed and see my fiery redhead leaning nonchalantly against a console chatting with Garrus. Once the information has finished importing, she and Garrus wander over to the armor merchant and begin haggling with the merchant again. Garrus presents the merchant with his chit card. And both head up to my office again.

I am surprised when only Kira appears in my door way. She sits in her previously-vacant chair and looks at me from across the desk.

"Thank you for getting me that system data. Do you remember the Shadow Broker? With the data you got me, I may be able to find information caches from his agents."

 _And then I can tell you everything…_

"I've got a lot on my plate; remind me who the Shadow Broker is." Shepard replies, seemingly frustrated and confused.

"He's the most powerful and dangerous information broker in the galaxy. No one knows who he is. There is speculation that he may actually be a group working under one name." I reply and wait for her answer.

"Liara…Are you on the run from the Shadow Broker? I can help you." She quickly leans forward again protectively placing her hands on top of mine. Her eyes determined.

 _There it is…_

 _I won't lie to you_

"Actually, it would be more accurate to say that the Shadow Broker is on the run from me. We crossed paths not long after you died, since then I've been working to take him down. With this data, I'm a step closer."

"I've never seen you ready to execute somebody in cold blood. What did the Shadow Broker do to you?" Shepard pauses, taken back.

"I was on a job with a friend; the Shadow Broker's people caught us. My friend didn't escape. I don't know if he's dead or being interrogated, but I need to find him. I owe him my life, and I need to make the Shadow Broker pay for what he did."

"You can't come with me because of the Shadow Broker? What if I help you find him?" She replies with more pain her voice. She seems more hopeless as the conversation goes on.

"I'm sorry, Shepard, that galaxy doesn't work that way. I need to find leads, trace information. I need to work. I can't do that on the Normandy. I wish I could…" My eyes trail down the desk. Kira hasn't lowered her gaze. It's like she knows something I don't.

 _If it were only that easy. I'd let you shoot him in a second…_

"What if I said that Cerberus gave me data on where to find the Shadow Broker while we were hacking terminals? Interested?"

"Absolutely! I had no idea… Let me see what you've got." I reply, shocked. Shepard hands over a data pad with a video running on it. A serious-looking Salarian appears, giving information

"It looks like a leaked transmission between Shadow Broker operatives. Some hints as to a location, and…" I gasp. "It's about Feron. He's still alive." A smile breaks across my face; I don't try to stop it. I just hope she will listen.

"Who's Feron?" She replies.

"He was a friend. He helped me recover your body from the Shadow Broker." Kira furrows her brow.

"Why did the Shadow Broker want my corpse?" Her hands back off of mine and rub her forehead.

"He was going to sell you to the Collectors, but Feron and I stopped him. Feron sacrificed himself to save me." Long pause… She stares at the floor, wordlessly. It seems like hours later when she finally answers,

"So, if you rescued me, how did I end up with Cerberus?" She says quietly.

"Well, they gave me intel to help recover you. They actually put Feron with me in the first place. After I got out, I gave you to them. They said they could bring you back" I grabbed her hands and looked into her eyes, begging her to understand.

"You kept me out of the Collector's hands. Without you, I couldn't have come back. Thank you." She replies plainly. Her eyes fall back down to the desk, staring at the space between us.

"I didn't know how you'd feel when Cerberus restored you. If you'd feel betrayed, or…" I hesitate for a second and refocus on the datapad in my hand, the still-shot of Feron still playing.

"They brought you back. And now they're giving me a chance to find Feron. After 2 years I hadn't even dreamed…" My eyes wander to the display on my desk, a set of Alliance dog tags on a metal chain rest on black velvet.

"It sounds like you and Feron are close." She questions while sinking back in her chair, still not making eye contact.

"It's funny. He betrayed me more than once. He was double-dealing for Cerberus, for the Shadow Broker. But in the end, he sacrificed himself for me. I owe him." Her eyes rise to meet mine.

"Any friend of yours is a friend of mine. What's the next step?" She questions. Uneasiness falls on me.

 _What is the next step? I need to… I need…. I need to get away, to be home…Alone. To think about my… I mean our next move._

"I…I don't know. I need to prepare. I think I'm going home. Use my terminal if you need any local intel."

"You okay?" She replies.

"I've spent 2 years plotting my revenge. Now I have the chance to make it a rescue." I grab the display with the dog tags and stand up. Shepard stands up with me and wraps her arm around my waist, kissing me softly. This gesture feels automatic; I begin to worry about what is going on in the red-head's brain.

"Let me help. I'll come by your apartment later?" I nod, trying to hide the storm that is brewing in my head.

"Okay. Hopefully I'll have a plan by then. Thank you, Shepard." She gently places a kiss on my cheek and releases me from her embrace. We part ways; Garrus and Samara wait for her outside the door with questioning looks in their face.

"Let's go find the drell." Shepard replies. I wave them goodbye and head back to my apartment.

 _I have thinking to do._

After I arrive at my apartment, I place my shoes in the basket next to the front door. Disk in hand, I walk up to my office and sit down at the large terminal. I prefer to work from home; I am able to view multiple screens of information at the same time. This makes comparing information quicker. I reach forward, pop the tray open, and insert the disk. The terminal jumps to life, displaying various videos on the upper screens, some charts and lists scroll along the lower screens. My mind wanders from the task at hand. I wonder how Shepard is doing. When I told her about the Shadow Broker's desire for her body she became very distant. I worry for her, I wish there was more I could do, or say something to help.

After hours of scrolling through data, listening to many audio files, and watching many videos, I have compiled a list of possible Shadow Broker agents. There are a few references to a planet called Hagalaz. Nothing that I've sifted through has given me a concrete place to start.

 _Maybe a second set of eyes will help me decipher this puzzle._ _Is it fair to ask for help in this though? ... more help means more targets._

Frustrated, I pull myself away from the desk and pace the room. My mind churns at the speed of sound, trying to figure out a solution. As I walk, I mutter the information I know aloud.

"UGH! Why does this have to be so difficult?!" I slam my fists onto the desk. I fall to my knees and my head falls to my hands. Feeling defeated, I remain in this position this for who knows how long. My legs ache for movement. I eventually stand up. My body reminds me of all the things I have been ignoring for hours. After using the bathroom, I grab some food and sit back down at my terminal, hoping to find more information now.

 _If I could only clear my head…_

I pull up my messages and select "Compose." After scrolling through a few recent contacts, I select Sekat and begin typing:

 **I need some help with a personal project. I'll send what I have so far. We should meet to discuss this matter ASAP. Normal arrangement for fees.**

 **LT**

After about half an hour, a call rings on my terminal from Sekat. I hit the record button on the terminal and accept the video call.

"What have you got for me, Sekat?" I begin.

"It was tricky, but you paid for the best. I can narrow it down to a cluster, maybe even a system." The salarian starts.

"How soon can you have it?" I reply, immediately feeling a little lighter.

"It shouldn't take long. Come down to my office, Baria Frontiers, at the Dracon Trade Center. Gotta say though, T'Soni, you are making me a little nervous. How big is the trouble that could come out of this?" Sekat crosses his arms.

"Relax, Sekat. I'll see you in a few hours." I end the call and save the recording. After typing for a little while on the terminal, I send the information I've obtained to my data pad and pack it away in my bag. I engage the safeguards on my terminal.

After a few minutes of staring into space, I rise from the desk and walk to my nightstand, where a set of dog-tag displays. For the first time in two years, I remove the tags from the stand. The smooth, cool metal triggers a shiver through my body. The top tag has a picture of the Alliance insignia. I rotate the tags in my hand and stare down at the name that is pressed in the center. I run my thumb along the tag:

 **Shepard, Kira**

 **Rank: Commander**

 **Spectre Status**

 **System Alliance**

The sound of glass cracking forces me back to reality. Instinctively, I fall to the floor and cover my head. My heart is pounding through my chest, my breathing is jagged, and my ears are ringing. Adrenaline courses through my body. My mind transitions from panic mode to survival mode. The sound eerily resembled fire from a sniper rifle, but I can't be sure where it came from. I quickly scan the room to find a glass panel in my living room fractured. The crack resembles water ripples on still water.

"Son of a bit-" Another shot hits the pane, creating more damage. Luckily the kinetic barriers on the windows repelled most of the velocity of the bullet. The broken segments resemble spider webs, but the window was never actually penetrated by the bullet.

 _I need to move! That glass won't last forever!_

I stealthily belly-crawl behind cover and wait for more gunshots, but they never come. After a few uneventful minutes, I feel that it is safe to move again. I quickly gather my things and sneak out the back entrance of the apartment building. My curiosity gets the better of me and I hide around a corner nearby to see if my attacker tries to enter my apartment. Since nobody appeared after a few seconds, I grab my data-pad from my bag and pull up surveillance films from my apartment. An asari is standing in my living room, adorned in black and blue armor. A spectre symbol is displayed on her right shoulder. She is clearly searching for something.

 _Good luck._

I am smart enough to know that the data Shepard recently helped me obtain is very dangerous. A few weeks ago, I designed a program for my terminal to make it act as though it was scrubbed. Honestly, it really does believe the information does not exist. The fail-safe I installed actually locks the data behind blind-walls, making them invisible to the motherboard. Once an appropriate trigger is enabled, the data blocks become visible again and the motherboard can regain access. Another fail-safe I put it place was hiding a physical back-up data drive from plain sight. The drive is in a place only somebody who knew me well would think to look. To an untrained eye, the large prothean artifact in my bedroom was inconspicuous. It is a risky plan, but my data is too important to lose.

I decide to take a cab to Baria Frontiers instead of taking my own vehicle.

 _Time to go meet with Sekat._

* * *

AN: So from here on out, hopefully a little more excitement. Do you guys want more of the Femshep/Liara Romance or am I going to focus more on the action and add some fluff sessions at the end? Let me know what you are thinking!


	8. Chapter 8: Shepard

AN: Let's get back into it. Sorry about the crazy delay guys. Life got crazy, I bought a house, got a kitten. Ya know, adult things. I promise to try to be more consistent from now on.

* * *

"Let's go find the drell." I spew as I walk out from Liara's office. Samara and Garrus are patiently waiting outside with Nyxeris . The three seemed to be having a light conversation before I stormed out the doors.

I should be kinder to them, but right now I feel raw. Liara saved me from my fate with the Collectors, but then dropped me right into Cerberus' grubby hands. She knew exactly how I felt about the Illusive Man and his xenophobic organization. While it was nice that they brought me back and all, I'm sure there are strings attached; big, expensive strings. I would be willing to bet the creep thinks he owns me now, or at least that I owe him. Two years and four billion credits later, here I am, alive. Why not just let me rot in space peacefully? I am a human being after all. I'm not a cow to auction for slaughter. The more I think about my discussion with Liara, the more upset I become.

 _I have to stop..._

 _Breathe…_

 _Do it again…_

After taking a few deep breaths, I feel slightly calmer. I turn to re-address my team.

"Are we ready to head out?" I pause and wait for a response. "I found a tip on Liara's terminal that mentions an asari named Seryna."

"Sounds good, boss." Garrus replies. The pair stands up and we walk out of the administration building. From the intel I received, Seryna works in a small shipping warehouse on this side of Illium. After a short walk, we arrive. The shipping area is bigger than I thought it would be. There are pallets full of crates and a small vehicle with a crane. A few employees walk around with clipboards. A small office section in the back of the room houses two desks, both have an asari seated at them.

"Seryna?" I ask, approaching the first desk.

"Who wants to know?" She replies, not bothering to look up from her current task.

"The name's Shepard. Liara T'Soni said you might have some information on Thane Krios." She stands up from the desk and addresses the asari seated behind her.

"Tana, cover for me." She continues to walk past us and points to a secluded area. "Over here."

"Yeah I know who Thane Krios is. I might have passed him some information, but I didn't hire him. What do you want to know?"

"Maybe you could help me find him." I push.

"I can tell you, but you won't stop him. When he contacted me, I checked up on him. The man never gives up on a job. I ran security for Nessana Dantius. Then I found out that she was having people killed to cover up her dirty secrets. She fired me when I confronted her. Her loss." She shrugs. "I might have been good enough to stop Thane from taking her down."

"Why does that name sound familiar?" I question. _I feel like I've spoken to Nassana before, but I can't quite place her._

"She was a representative on the Citadel a few years ago." Seryna shrugs.

"Right… She had me kill her sister, the slaver." I reply slowly. _It's all coming back to me now. That mission was a pain!_

"I thought that was just a rumor." Seryna responds questioningly. "Well you know what she's capable of then. She has even more power here in Nos Astra. She uses it to keep her friends in check and her enemies dead."

"So where do I find Thane?" I question.

"The Dantius Towers. Penthouse level of Tower One. There's a second tower still under construction. If Thane is smart, he'll go in from there." She muses.

"It doesn't sound like Nassana's just going to let me in." I reply.

"She's as smart as she is paranoid. No one's getting in or out of there without a fight. I can get you in, but you'll only get one shot. You better be ready." Seryna responds.

"I need a bit of time to get ready. Can I contact you when I am ready?" I ask. Seryna nods and hands me a business card. On the card is her name and contact information. We part ways.

After a few hours of talking with people and helping with small jobs, in exchange for information of course, I walk with Garrus and Samara back to the Normandy. When we part ways, I wave goodbye. I decide to head to Liara's apartment early to see what she is up to. Although I may still be a little disgruntled from our last conversation, I only have a limited window of time to spend with her. I need to make the best out of the time we have together. Besides, it's not really her I am mad at, just the situation as a whole. She did what she thought was right. I hail a taxi shuttle and give the driver the apartment address. We arrive fairly quickly; I pay the driver and walk towards the busy apartment complex.

"Seal off those trace samples and get them off to the lab." A female voice says.

"We've got multiple shots fired. Yeah, techs are going over this place now." Another female voice says.

I quicken my pace when I hear the words "Shots fired." My heart sinks. _Shots…What shots…_

"Central, we got an open carrier on this end. Switching to a coded relay." A male voice says

As I approach, I see a blue police barrier standing in the doorframe with "Police Line. Do Not Cross" steadily scrolling.

 _Oh God… Liara…_

My stomach lurches and I swallow hard.

"What's going on?" I demand.

"This area is sealed off, please step back ma'am." An asari states mater-of-factly. Based on her uniform, I can only assume she's a cop. _No shit the area is sealed. What the hell happened?_

"Sealed off, why?" I push. A voice from across the room answers.

"Someone tried to kill your friend, Commander Shepard." The asari responds and she approaches us. She is wearing blue armor with a spectre symbol on the right shoulder. "Thank you officer, your people are dismissed."

 _Great, maybe I can get some answers. Why is she dismissing the cops? That's odd._

She gestures for me to walk through the holographic barrier. The officer who seems to be leading the current investigation argues with the spectre. The asari gets the last say and the cops leave the apartment. I walk up the few stairs to get to the main floor, the she turns to me.

"Tela Vasir. Special Tactics and Recon." She introduces herself.

"A spectre?" I respond.

"You are one of our most famous operatives. Might even get you to sign my chest plate." She jests. "So I assume you had business with your friend this evening, Commander?"

"Liara was following a lead on the Shadow Broker." I reply, unsure if I should really tell this stranger about Liara's pet project.

"The Shadow Broker? Dangerous enemy to have." She replies.

"What are the facts so far?" I ask, tiring of this game.

"About 25 minutes ago, someone took a shot at T'Soni. Note the bullet holes." She points towards a glass pane in the living room with 2 bullet marks and crosses her arms. "She stuck around for almost four minutes before leaving the building. Whatever she was doing was important."

"If Liara isn't here, where is she?" I ask.

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be sifting through her crap. There's no blood, no body. It looks like T'soni got away. The sniper didn't plan on her kinetic barrier. Clever girl. Paranoid, but clever." She responds. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as she is speaking.

 _Why is she talking like that…_

 _It's almost like she's hiding something…_

"Did the police find anything when they arrived?" I reply.

"Just a mess and the bullet holes. I gave them a gold star for finding the bullet holes ." She replies plainly.

"Liara was expecting me. She would have left a message here- her office wasn't safe." I push further, not liking the way this situation makes me feel. My gut tells me something is off.

"I'm not surprised. Illium is just Omega with expensive shoes. I haven't found anything useful for tracking her down yet. You knew T'Soni better than I do. Where would she have hidden her back-ups? She questions.

"Let me look around." I reply before turning and walking around the room.

 _She must have left something for me._

I walk to the window first to inspect the damage.

"The rifle wasn't standard issue. The kinetic barrier deflected the shots, but they still managed to penetrate the glass." Vasir adds from across the room. To the left, leaning against the wall in front of the stairs, is a glass case containing black armor. On closer inspection it appears to be my armor from the Normandy attack. My throat goes dry and my heart races. The darkness threatens to push through… I can't let it happen. I need to find Liara.

 _Breathe….You have to focus to find her…_

A painting across the room pulls my attention. It looks like Ilos. As I approach is, Vasir chimes in again…

"That's not the asari homeworld. I'm not sure what planet it is…" She trails off.

"It's Ilos." I respond sharply. The more dead ends I run into, the more anxious I become.

 _C'mon Liara. Give me a damn clue._

I run up the stairs to her bedroom. A picture of the Normandy on her nightstand catches my eye. I walk over and pick it up. As soon as I touch it, the image changes to a set of ruins.

"The picture changed when you touched it. It must be keyed to your ID. What does it show now?" She questions.

"It's a prothean dig site. Liara did leave a message." I reply, a small amount of hope returning.

"There are a few prothean-looking objects around the apartment. Let's see what we can find" Vasir responds.

After searching a few cases containing prothean artifacts, I approach the biggest case in the room and touch the glass. As soon as my hand makes contact, a drawer extends with a small data disk on it.

"Vasir, I've got something here."

"Back-up disk. Let's try it on her terminal." Vasir says. We walk up to the large terminal and place the disk in the console. An image of a salarian appears on many screens. "It looks like she recorded a call."

"What have you got for me, Sekat?" Liara begins. Hearing her voice makes me swallow hard, but I am unable to move the rock in my throat. Butterflies flutter around my stomach.

"It was tricky, but you paid for the best. I can narrow it down to a cluster, maybe even a system." The salarian starts.

"How soon can you have it?" Liara replies, seeming relieved.

"It shouldn't take long. Come down to my office, Baria Frontiers, at the Dracon Trade Center. Gotta say though, T'Soni, you are making me a little nervous. How big is the trouble that could come out of this?" Sekat crosses his arms.

"Relax Sekat. I'll see you in a few hours." She ends the call here. I turn to Vasir.

"This must be important. The Shadow Broker's people already tried to kill her once." I start, breaking the silence.

"I know where the Dracon Trade Center is. My car's outside." Vasir responds.

"Let's go." I reply. I am reluctant to go with Vasir, but what choice do I have. _If she does have information, she may be able to lead me to Liara. Maybe I can save her…_

We arrive at the Dracon Trace Center and park in the first available parking spot. We both leap from the shuttle and double-time it to the front.

"The Baria Frontiers offices are located on the third floor." Vasir says. "I don't hear police chatter; we must've missed the party."

As we approach a large explosion blows out the front of the building from inside.

"Liara's in there!" I panic, I grab my weapon and step closer but additional explosions blow Vasir and I off our feet. The ringing in my ears is deafening. We stand up slowly and scan the area around us. Bodies are littered everywhere on the front walkway, most appear to be dead.

"They just took out three floors to make sure she's dead." Vasir yells. At least I'm assuming she's yelling. I am only able to read her lips. "I'll grab the skycar and seal off the building from the top."

"I'll start down here and work my way up." I brush the dust off my armor. For the most part I feel fine. The kinetic shields are made to take some of the fall I sustained. The ringing in my ears should only be temporary. Our helmets are semi-sound proof. They help prevent permanent hearing loss.

I work my way into the building. The inside is trashed. Couches are overturned, wires hanging from the ceiling, wall and ceiling pieces are scattered everywhere. There are burn marks on the floors, wall, and ceilings. A few small fires are burning in various places. The room stinks of explosives, burning metal, and blood. Although the smells are not new to me, my stomach still refuses to settle. I rush to the elevator and punch the control panel. I am not interested in investigating the rest of the building. I have one mission in mind. The elevator panel flashes red.

 _I guess I should've seen that coming. To the stairs…_

I fly up a few flights of stairs. I quickly inspect a few bodies on the ground. They appear to have bullet holes in them. _What the hell…_

"Bullet wounds… What the…Watch yourself, Vasir. They used military grade hardware."

"Bullet wounds? Guess this was more than just an explosion." Vasir replies over the comm channel.

I rush up another flight of stairs to reach the check-in desk for Baria Frontiers. Before entering, I find an explosive that hasn't been detonated.

"Vasir, I found a military-grade explosive device. It hasn't been armed."

"Sloppy work. You use that kind of hardware when you don't have time to plan." Vasir replies, unimpressed.

I quickly, and carefully, disarm the device and move further in the building. I walk through the doors and access the check-in terminal. After scrolling through the registry, I finally find Liara's name.

"Vasir, I'm at the Baria Frontier's office. Liara signed in a just a few minutes ago."

"Understood, Commander." She replies. Her voice seems different. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up again. I don't like it. When I enter the office, the sprinklers are on. Everything is soaking wet. A few live wires spark. _Great. I'm going to get zapped if those wires move._

As I start down the hallway, a grenade is tossed at my feet. I dive behind cover, narrowly missing the flashbang grenade. I start firing at a few soldiers. I intermittently cover and shoot. Being alone sucks in a firefight, but I know my way around the battlefield well enough to know I need to patient in this situation. _Dad always said…patience is the key to life._

"Vasir, I'm pinned down. Mercs! And they're well-armed." I yell over the comm channel.

"Say hello to the Shadow Broker's private army, Commander!" Vasir yells back.

I patiently duck and fire until all enemies are eliminated. I push further through the building. I finally reach a door at the end of a long hallway. A shotgun is fired nearby. When the door finally opens, a merc falls to the ground. Vasir is holstering her weapon.

"Damn it. If I had only been a few seconds faster, I could've stopped them."

"Is this Sekat?" I question as I search through the room.

"It must've been." Vasir responds.

"No sign of that data Liara talked about. Looks like a dead end." I reply, my throat going dry again.

"Speaking of which, did you find your friend's body?" Vasir asks, venom dripping from in her words. Her body language has changed. She stalks around the room like a predator cornering its prey. I should've listened to my gut. From behind, a very familiar voice makes my heart jump.

* * *

AN: Yeeeoch. That was mean. Sorry guys. Soon.


	9. Chapter 9: Shepard

AN: Ouch, Mean writer. That cliff hanger was really mean.

* * *

"You mean this body?" Liara walks out of the next room holding a sidearm. She has it aimed directly at Vasir's chest. She means business.

"Liara, this is Vasir. She's a spectre." I stand between the women.

"This is the woman that tried to kill me." Liara takes a few steps towards Vasir. I jump to the side and grab my sidearm.

"You've had a rough day, so I'll let that slide. Why don't you put that gun down?" Vasir replies, taking a step back.

"I saw you! I doubled back after I left. I watched you break into my apartment!" Liara replies resentfully. She is not backing down.

"You didn't know where Liara went, because she hid the message. You needed me to find it for you." I bite back.

"Thanks for the help." Vasir shrugs.

"Once she had my location, she signaled the Shadow Broker's forces. They bombed the building to take me out. She found Sekat, took his data, and killed him. I'm guessing she still got the disk on her." Liara continues.

"Good guess, not that you'll ever see what's on it." Vasir slides her left hand behind her back as she's speaking. She pops something biotic onto herself. "…You pureblood bitch."

Seconds later, shrapnel is flying towards us. Liara quickly summons a biotic shield to deflect the material. The anger that has been festering in my gut is now searing through my body. I charge and tackle Vasir through a window. After a struggle in the air, we land on the ground floor. I am thrown onto my stomach while Vasir lands gracefully on her feet. Liara jumps down and begins chasing her through the building. I quickly get to my feet and follow after them. Liara swiftly deals with a few Broker soldier with her biotics. A few mercs file through a doorway, but I quickly deal with them with my widow.

"She's getting away!" Liara yells over the comm radio. I push myself harder and I rush out the building to find Vasir and Liara engaged in a firefight. Vasir covers for a few seconds, her shuttle flies around the corner. She springs from cover and flings herself from the top of the building, landing safely in her shuttle. Liara and I run to the closest available shuttle and take off.

"Damn it!" She slams her fists against the dashboard.

"I'm OK by the way, thanks for asking." I turn to look at her as I speak. We speed off after Vasir. After weaving in and out of traffic we eventually catch up. Vasir ducks into on-coming traffic and banks hard around a corner. She starts dropping explosives out the back of the shuttle, sending a truck rolling towards us.

"Truck!" Liara screams.

"I see it!" I dodge the truck and keep on tailing Vasir. I chuckle and then hit the gas. _My evasive maneuvers seminar is coming in handy right now._

"You are enjoying this, aren't you?" Liara yells. We continue weaving through traffic, making sure to keep Vasir in sight.

"A head-on collision at this speed…" Liara trails off

"Yeah, I've heard those can be bad for you." I laugh louder this time. She does not seem to share my enthusiasm. We pull up next to Vasir, Liara pulls out her sidearm. Vasir slams her shuttle into the side of ours sending us flying at an oncoming shuttle. I veer out of the way just in time, but Vasir doesn't quit. She continues slamming her shuttle into the side of ours. She dips too far out into oncoming traffic and nicks the corner of an oncoming vehicle. She sends herself flying onto a nearby rooftop, shuttle blazing.

We aren't far behind her, so we hover above the building she crashed on. From a distance, it is clear that her windshield is smashed and her shuttle is sparking. I wonder for a second if she is OK, but then I remember that very recently tried to kill us.

 _Maybe she deserved to go this way. She slammed into us, right? She DID try to kill Liara._

We move in closer to see Vasir roll from her shuttle and onto the rooftop. _Well there goes that thought._ A LOKI mech wanders over to greet her, but is quickly shot to the ground. Vasir hobbles away from her shuttle with her hand over her abdomen. She is clearly very hurt. She lifts her omni-tool up to her face as if she's talking to somebody. She quickens her pace and enters a nearby building. I lower our shuttle down to the rooftop and Liara and I jump out to follow her.

"There's Vasir's car. Come on, she can't have gotten far." Liara reports. "Watch out! They're dropping reinforcements in to slow us down! They've blocked the door!"

Liara returns and takes cover behind a nearby shuttle. I cover and fire at newly-dropped Shadow Broker mercs. An engineer drops a turret on the ground, forcing me into cover. Liara turns to fire at the turret. She launches a biotic pull on it and it sparks and explodes. I let out a sigh of relief. A grenade is tossed between my feet. I quickly dive and roll to cover behind an adjacent shuttle and cover my eyes. After the explosion, I resume firing at the mercs, dropping two more bodies to the ground. What I can only assume to be a shotgun shell makes contact with my leg. A shooting pain resonates all the way down to my toes, forcing me down to a knee.

"Son of a-" I exclaim as I drop to cover. My shield is blinking at 10%. I stay in cover for a few minutes as the pain in my leg dulls. I inspect my armor and find it intact.

 _That is surely going to leave a nasty bruise._

Liara and I finish off the last few enemies left on the rooftop and cover behind our shuttle. We are both out of breath and panting heavily. I am the first to slide to the floor and rest for a second. She quickly copies. I grab her hand and give it a quick squeeze.

"How you holding up, Liara?" I ask between breathes. She squeezes back and nods. "Good, but we can't stay here. We are going to lose Vasir."

"Come on, we can climb over to get to her car!" Liara points at the busted shuttle. We both get up and vault over a concrete garden bed. We walk up a few small stairs and approach what appears to be a fancy, roof-top bar. We continue through the bar to a small lobby. There is a very suggestive video of Asari dancers displayed on a very large screen.

"What kind of hotel is this?" I ask, confused.

"Azure. It's a luxury resort with an… exotic edge. 'Azure' is slang for a part of the asari body in some areas of Illium."

"Where?" I push.

"Mainly the lower reaches, near the bottom." Liara replies.

"I mean where on the Asari body?" I chuckle.

"So did I." She replies with a quick wink.

We continue through the open deck of the hotel and onto a terrace. Vasir's car is burning and sparking away. Liara performs a cursory sweep, and finds her research data disk. She quickly secures it away and scans the area.

"A blood trail. Vasir got hurt in the crash." Liara exclaims.

"That should slow her down." I reply. We follow the blood trail around the outside of the hotel.

"She's lost a lot of blood. We have to be getting close." Liara says.

"She's tough. I'll give her that much." I reply.

"She's a spectre." Liara says. I can feel her eyes roll even though she is behind me. It makes me smile a little.

We walk through a doorway to another area of the hotel. There are a few large blood splatters on the ground. I spot a few seemingly lifeless bodies a few yards away. I point them out to Liara and signal for her to wait. After a scan of the area, Vasir is not here. I wave Liara on. We continue out to the terrace. A few large blood spots lead us straight to Vasir. She has her back turned walking fairly slowly, clenching her stomach. I wonder if that's where she's bleeding from. We trail her through another deck area. Patrons gather around a bar, laughing. _They have no idea what kind of danger they may be in._

"Vasir. It's over." Liara calls out, calmly. She pulls her sidearm out and points it in Vasir's direction. I also pull out my sidearm and take aim. I address a few patrons and signal for them to leave the area. Vasir stops walking, but doesn't immediately turn. Two large drops of blood plop to the ground. She weakly turns towards us, taking jagged breaths.

"Hey. Hey you. Come here. What's your name?" Vasir grabs an innocent woman and aims her pistol at us. The other patrons are now aware of the situation. A few women scream and most of the crowd clears the area.

"M-Mariana." The hostage stutters.

"Mariana, you want to live, don't you? Tell these people you want to live." Vasir says to the hostage, sweetly, a hint venom in her voice. She is clearly very hurt.

"Please…" The hostage pleads. Tears cascade down her face.

"We'll get you out of here safe, Mariana." I reply calmly.

"Well that's good to hear." Vasir replies. "All you had to do was walk away. Now it gets ugly." Vasir raises her gun to the hostage's temple, her voice laced with malice.

"Please. I have a son." Mariana pleads; she closes her eyes and clenches her fists.

"A son? I hope he gets to see you again. I've heard losing a parent is just horrific for children. Scars them for life." She teases, flashing an obvious look at me.

"I'm going to end you, Vasir." Liara replies, jaw clenched.

"It's okay, Liara. We'll handle it. The usual way." I reply calmly.

"You want Mariana's little boy to grow up without a mommy, Shepard? Thermal clips on the ground, now. Power cells too." Vasir demands.

"Is that is?" I question.

"What?" Vasir fires back. Her face reminds me of one of the looks my mother would give me if I spoke out of place. _Let's play a game…_

"Vasir, I sacrificed hundreds of human lives to save the Destiny Ascension. I unleashed the Rachni on the galaxy. So for your sake, I hope your escape plan doesn't hinge on me hesitating to shoot a damn hostage." My voice gets louder with each statement. I force the anger back down and carefully aim at Vasir. Liara uses her biotics to slowly lift a table from behind Vasir.

"You're bluffing!" She challenges.

"Am I?" I pause. "Now. Liara!" I say calmly.

The table flies forward and nails Vasir in the back. Mariana falls to the ground with her arms over head head. Vasir is sent flying through the air and into a nearby water source. She jumps from the blood- tinged water seconds later with a large grunt. Liara falls to Mariana's side and shoos her to safety.

 _Adrenaline gives people crazy amounts of will-power._

"Ooh. We made her mad, Liara." I jest. Vasir teleports around the rooftop occasionally firing at us. Liara and I cover behind a cement flower bed. A shockwave ability flashes past me, pushing me against my cover. I stand and fire a few shots at Vasir. Her biotic barrier protects her from the first few shots. Liara fires from another position and breaks the barrier. Vasir is quick to fire another shockwave at her. Liara isn't quick enough. Her gun flies from her hand and she falls to the ground weakly. I grab my widow and take aim.

A high-caliber shot finds Vasir's leg and forces her to a knee. Finding an open window, I rush and tackle her to the ground. I pull out my sidearm and aim it at her temple.

"You're dead. The Shadow Broker has been in power for decades. He's stronger than anything you've ever faced." Vasir replies weakly, still somehow maintaining her deadly tone.

"Is that why you sold out the council to work for him?" I question.

"You think I betrayed the Council? Like Saren? Go to hell. The Broker's given me damn good intel over the years. Intel that has saved lives and kept the Citadel safe! So if the Broker needs a few people to disappear, I'll pay the price without hesitation." She angrily replies.

"Spectres don't blow up buildings filled with innocent people." The rage I pushed away is seething through my core, filling every crevice of my being, fueling every cell of my body. I drop my sidearm on the ground and pull her forward. I thrust a fist towards her face, making contact with a dull thud. She laughs.

"Sure we do. We get our hands dirty so the Council doesn't have to. The councilors might complain about our methods to soothe their consciences, but they never look too closely. Besides, you are with Cerberus. You have any idea what your terrorist friends have done?" Vasir questions with a smirk. I pull her closer to my face.

"I know who they are and what they've done. It. Doesn't. Matter." I accentuate the last sentence.

"I think it does. You want to judge me? Look in the mirror. Kidnapping kids for biotic death camps! Killing Alliance admirals who ask questions! You are with them. Don't you dare judge me! Don't you…" I thrust her back to the ground, losing control. Her head bounces off the concrete, and she grunts. I blindly throw punches, rage over-taking me.

"Shepard…" Liara calls from behind me. She sounds like she's miles away yelling from above the water. Something touches my shoulder. Instinctively, I grab it and squeeze, hard my other fist poised and ready to strike. "Shepard!" She calls again. Her voice is much closer now and snaps me back to reality. I realize I grabbed her hand and quickly release it.

I stare down at Vasir, who is lying on the ground…

Blood is pouring from her orifices,

Her smirk is gone

Her body lifeless

I realize exactly what I've done.

 _I did this…I AM a monster…_

I pick my sidearm up from the ground and force myself to my feet. The throbbing in my hands and arms reminds me exactly how awful I am. I push the gun into Liara's hands and storm away.

After a few seconds of silence, Liara kneels next to Vasir and presses two fingers to her neck, searching for a pulse. Her eyes scan my face and she eventually shakes her head. I nod and continue towards the bar. After slumping in to a chair and slamming my helmet on the bar, I survey the area. A few chairs are knocked over. The table that Liara threw at Vasir is lying on its side. All I can do it sigh. Defeated, I drop my head to my hands.

 _Disappointment._

 _Shame._

 _Sorrow._

… _Just a few emotions rushing through my mind right now…_

Familiar arms embrace me from behind. Her smell pulls me from the depths; I lift my head from my hands. The sympathetic look on her face tells me she's here with me. She understands my pain. She's not mad. She kisses my cheek softly. Instead of lecturing me, she answers the questions that have been swirling through my mind since I stood up…

"You aren't the same, Kira." She spins my stool and pushes herself between my legs. She slides a finger under my chin and stares deeply into my eyes. "You are different."

She pulls me closer and holds me tight, but I can't move. She grabs my hand and gently squeezes.

 _I don't deserve this… I deserve a jail cell… I deserve to be punched until I'm numb… I definitely don't deserve her._

"Let's go home." She replies with a small smile.

* * *

AN: Home indeed. As always, leave me some comments. I'd love to hear what you guys think. Don't be shy, I don't bite. If I do for some reason, I have my rabies vaccines!


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